A story to continue that of Full Moon wo Sagashite
by Fluence
Summary: {Finding the Gateway to Heaven} tells the events immediately following the end of the anime, Full Moon wo Sagashite. Do NOT read this if you have not seen the anime through to the end!
1. Bitter Sweet Reunions

Please do not read this if you have not seen the anime "Full Moon wo Sagashite" to the end.  This story takes place immediately after the final episode.

And will thus *SPOIL* **everything** if you haven't seen this amazing show.

Do I really need a copyright type statement? Well, I, aka Fluence, wrote this little story, but Arina Tanemura, Myco, and lots of other people came up with Full Moon wo Sagashite, so this is theirs, I guess? If a legal issue really comes up, well, I wrote this for my own enjoyment, I'll remove it from public view if asked.

That being taken care of…

Finding the Gateway to Heaven

**Chapter 1 – Bitter sweet reunions**

"Takuto," said Mitsuki again, the tears overflowing from her heart and spilling softly onto the concrete below.

Takuto merely glanced at her for a moment, his shocked expression becoming one of puzzlement, then a feint of disinterest as he looked away. The feather in his hands slowly fluttered to the ground as his brief flash of recognition faded, "Are you a fan of Route L? You seem a bit," Takuto paused and returned his gaze to Mitsuki, "young."

Mitsuki was shocked at first, evidenced by the widening of her eyes and the stopping of her breath.  Comprehension soon dawned on her, and she hugged Takuto tightly, exclaiming loudly, "Takuto! You said you would never forget me!"

Surprised, Takuto pulled away, or rather tried to, as for some reason her scent, her eyes, and most of all, her voice, dredged up strong emotions within him, and he ended up flailing his arms about wildly as she held on tightly to his torso.  A minute passed, and finally Mitsuki pulled back, her blushed face turned towards the ground where her right shoe was gently scraping.

After a few moments of awkward silence, Mitsuki spoke softly, almost to herself, "I thought I would never see you again, Takuto."

Suddenly on the verge of anger, Takuto shouted in her direction, "And who are you anyway?  Stupid kid, do you think you can just go up to any person and grab them like that?!  I gave up singing," his angst was audible here, as he emphasized this last sentence, "and now you just hug me as if you've known me all your life!"  and with these final words he began storming past Mitsuki, only to find that her body was blocking his path.

"Takuto," she said softly, slowing the tears of hurt from flowing down her face, though a few slipped by to run down her pale cheeks, and hugged Takuto again, holding him in a gentle contrast to her earlier bear hug.

Takuto stood stiffly as she held him, staring down at this pathetic fan girl as she clung desperately to him, and muttered under his breath, "Stupid kid."  His hands finally grasped her shoulders and pushed her away from him.  "How do you even know me, anyway?  You look like you're ten years old…"

At this, Mitsuki puffed her cheeks as so traditional of her being upset, and finally raised her voice in return, though the recent surgery left her squeaking hoarsely more than actually shouting, "Well, I'm 13, and you saved my life, and you can just go on being like you are, because… I love you and …" at this, she faltered for words and turned away, until her emotions finally brought coherence to her thoughts and returned softness to her voice, "you made me Full Moon, and gave me Eternal Snow and . . . my life, Takuto.  You don't remember being a Shinigami at all, I guess."

"Shini-GAMI?!" asked Takuto, bristling.

Mitsuki's eyes widened, and she crossed her hands in front of her mouth to cover it as she exclaimed, "Oh! Maybe you're not supposed to remember!" and with the realization that she may again be attempting to defy fate, she determinedly turned back to face Takuto, searching his averted eyes for some hint of recollection. "But I want to tell you, and I want you to remember.  You can't forget Meroko, and Full Moon, or even Izumi, or Ooshige-san, and Wakaoji-sensei, and…" so softly she spoke the final word that she could barely even hear herself "me."

Finally Takuto was able to gather the bits of impatience which had been building up since his sudden reemergence, primarily internal frustration at the huge void in his memory, and focused his anger on Mitsuki with the force of a tidal wave, "You're just a crazy little girl, what are you talking about! I don't know you, I don't know any of those names," though Wakaoji's seemed familiar, "and I don't… really… care!  I came here to get away and start a new life, now… Leave … me… alone!!!"  and turning back towards the shop where he was staying, Takuto left Mitsuki standing bewildered, clutching her hands to her chest. 

Not three steps apart, Takuto was suddenly overcome by a coughing fit as pain wracked his throat.  Shocked and hurt as she was, Mitsuki's hushed sobs of pain quickly became a cry of concern as she watched Takuto fall before her.  Rushing up to him, she held him as his spasms abated, only to have him roughly shove her aside as he attempted to regain his composure.  He stood up weakly, and only glared at her meekly before walking off towards the flower shop.  Mitsuki stood frozen in place watching him walk off, confused and hurt and too undermined to be able to take even the simplest action.  

Soon, however, she quietly walked over to and sat down on the bench where Takuto had been, gazing towards the sun as it sank to the beach below, gently enveloping herself in its warmth and allowing her emotions to be calmed by the soothing waves as they slid ashore.  The lapping rhythm as each crest struck slowly eased her pain, and not long passed before she began singing as softly as her voice would allow.

_Doushite doushite suki nan darou konna ni namida afureteru…_ emanated from her, true emotions mixing with tears as each verse comforted her excitement and mixed agony over her first reencounter with her beloved.

                                                ------------------------------------------

Feathers fluttering behind her, wings acting as sails pushing her ever higher into the realms where she had not gone in her previous incarnation, Negi Ramen's Meroko now floated hazily through her old home in the netherworld, seemingly invisible to everyone, and unable to interact with the props which surrounded her, as if she were a ghost in this world.  Confused, but not surprised or alarmed as she might have been, Meroko gently followed the guiding pulse in her heart, approaching a destination which she neither knew nor truly wondered about, but could only feel as the proper direction.  

_Peaceful_, she thought to herself, _I feel so . . . peaceful_.  

Gliding along past friends, rather, acquaintances of old, she stopped as if to speak to a few before she noticed the haste and inwardness which seemed so common amongst them, and instead spun past them as she sailed further along, a sensation overtaking her as if her being were expanding. 

Bakeries, small malls, old avenues all swiftly fled past her, around her, until finally Meroko began to feel saddened by the eminent leave of her old home for the new realm to which she was destined, and chose a familiar storefront at which to stop.  Though on its face it seemed like all the others, she sat down at one of the tables flung hastily outside, and allowed herself to reminisce over the smell of noodles wafting from inside.  

Patrons came and went, some even sat on top of her without so much as the slightest twitch.  At first she noticed an accompanying tingling sensation, but it was soon dulled by experience and became a numbness which was easily ignored.  Meroko sighed heavily, startling and startled by her startling of a nearby minion of the underrealm.  Soon enough she was certain that he was staring at her in amazement, and she turned to speak to him, but he was gone before she had even risen from her false chair.  For everything was fake here to her, and she passed her hands in wonderment through the umbrella outside the noodle shop, and finally stood and danced right through a large man carrying a bag of useless items in one of a million meaningless tasks.

Meroko's cheer soon returned, and she closed her eyes and thought dreamily of Takuto and Mitsuki, wondering at their probable talking and kissing since their incredible reunion, joy bubbling in her heart as she thought contentedly of her role in its arrangement.  

Sighing softly, she opened her eyes to find herself in a strange alley, filled with a white light suffused with brilliant colors which seemed to emanate from all around and within her.  Startled, her gaze soaked in the light, and she was awed by its sheer brilliance and her quick adjustment.  Confused as she was, Meroko hardly noticed as she entered the main path and proceeded to bump into and knock over a dusty blonde haired boy just about her height.  

Recognition dawned momentarily in her mind, but was quickly clouded by a gentle outside pressure, and the boy stood and offered his hand to her amidst a sea of her apologies and bows.  He bowed back to her with a grace and ease of manner which caught her off guard for a moment before she regained enough composure to truly take in her surroundings and gasp with sheer amazement. 

His "Have you just arrived here?" and still proffered hand went unnoticed by Meroko as she gasped at the endless hazy white towers which stretched through the sky far past the limit of her vision, absolute masses of angels roaming about on innumerous duties hither and yon, and beautifully carved stone buildings lining the immense marble walkway on which she now lay.  Yet, massive though the crowds were, nobody seemed uncomfortable, rushed, or lacking for space, a few of the passers-by even seemed surprised to see two people having just collided into each other, as if it were something new to their world. 

Meroko was brought back to the present by the soft laughter of her victim, who seemed to be greatly enjoying himself at her expense, and had even retaken his fallen position next to her.  Meroko's face swiftly shaded to the color of her accoutrements, giving her sliced hair a light red glow which further warmed her cheeks and face.  The boy's hazel eyes widened with this impression upon them and soon it was his turn to blush a light red. 

The two seemed separated for a time from their surroundings, alone on the distant plane of themselves, though the brief pang of familiarity tugged uncomfortably at Meroko's heart before the budding love she felt bubbled over, and she pounced on top of him with a hearty hug, leaving him breathless and the both of them struggling to rise amidst a renewed fit of laughter.  The tide of people seemed to swell as attention was slowly focused towards the two, causing their peals of laughter to again turn crimson scarlet as they hovered into the air and down the street.  "You're quite a beautiful lovely rabbit," said the boy to her, and Meroko's only response was the swelling love in her heart as she giddily smiled at him.  They floated along for some time, hand in hand now, before Meroko finally had compulsion enough to speak. 

"What is your name?" she asked of him.  

His response was drowned by a gentle voice in her mind, however, and so she did not get to know the identity of her first heavenly friend.  

"Meroko, it is time for you to complete your first assignment.  Just follow your heart to find the way."


	2. To Find Takuto, of course

**Chapter 2 – To Find Takuto, of course**

Mitsuki's gloom was evident past the smile on her face as she trudged up to the group of friends with which she had so nearly collided not so long ago.  The three were standing, talking excitedly, at the street corner near her house, and as she sauntered innocently into their view they began chatting lightly as if no Mitsukis had recently flown past them at incredible speeds. 

"Hi, Mitsuki," called Wakana as Mitsuki approached the group, her glum expression lightened by the sincerity of their friendship.  

"Hello," Mitsuki remarked back to all three of them.   

"What were you in such a rush for?" asked Tomoe.

Mitsuki was startled by this question as it refreshed the pain of Takuto's rejection.  She could barely utter, "I was going to meet someone, but he wasn't really there."

"Ooooh"  "Mitsuki has a boyfriend" "Who? Who!" the trio spoke all at once, forming an arc around her.

 Bewildered, she held her arm behind her back in a karate chop, a teardrop forming at her temple as her eyes closed into pigeon claws.  The three pressed, however, and soon Mitsuki was forced to think about Takuto, causing her a heavy sadness felt distinctly by the others. 

"I guess things didn't go well, maybe we should leave her alone," whispered Kumi just too loudly, and Mitsuki apologized profusely as they walked off, bowing low, her gaze averted.  Soon they were gone and she was left alone to continue her walk home, a gentle breeze soothing her spirits as she stepped through the gated entrance.  

Wakamatsu Madoka was sitting in the living room chatting with Mitsuki's grandmother, and to Mitsuki's immense surprise, she could hear Madoka humming a tune to which her grandmother was tapping her fingers!  

_How people can change_, thought Mitsuki to herself, and stood just inside the doorway listening for a time to the odd melody, before finally walking inside the room.  Madoka sprang up, abruptly cutting the flow of music. 

"Mitsuki!  I didn't know you were here!" she exclaimed, and in spite of her evident initial dismay, she hugged Mitsuki tightly and showed her the vase with flowers which she had brought.  

"Are you feeling any better, Mitsuki-chan? I brought these for you. Can you cheer up so you can cheer for me?"  

Madoka seemed so exuberant about some mysterious something, she practically goaded Mitsuki to ask her, "What was that tune you were humming, Madoka-san?" 

Madoka pouted and a slightly exasperated sigh expelled along with her breath, "Oh, so you heard it, huh?" 

Finally, Mitsuki's grandmother, who had been quietly sitting back until then, spoke up, "Madoka, weren't you here today to give Mitsuki a present?" obviously indicating whatever was hidden between them.  Even Tanaka seemed in on things, smiling broadly as she peered into the room from which she was carting the now empty teapot. 

"Ok, well, I guess I'll give it to you now, but I had hoped to surprise you with it."  Madoka fumbled inside a purple backpack she had evidently just bought for herself, and finally extracted a small white box wrapped with an orange and golden ribbon. 

_Orange__ and gold_? Mitsuki thought to herself, trying hard not to let her amusement at the color choice show.  She graciously accepted the gift and put it aside as she had always been taught, placing it to the side of the table so as to be polite until she could open it away from the eyes of the giver.

"You can open it now if you want," spoke her grandmother, to Mitsuki's surprise, and somewhat to her dismay, as she was slightly nervous of opening it in front of Madoka.

_Here goes_, she thought as she carefully removed the ribbons and wrapper, out of the corner of her eyes noticing Madoka's eager smile, hands on her knees waiting patiently for the present to appear.

"Wow!" exclaimed Mitsuki, "Wow! This is so neat! You're so beautiful, Madoka-san!" for on the cover of the CD she held in her hand, Madoka stood wrapped in color swaths of orange and gold, greens and reds, and blues which somehow complemented her shimmering long hair and sparkling eyes. 

Mitsuki looked up with a smile on her face, causing Madoka to blush, "Thank you, Mitsuki! It's my new CD, I wanted you to have it before anyone else.  Do you think the title is good?"  

_Falling into Grace_ was emblazoned on the side panel in dazzling gold letters. "Wow, it's so cool!" Mitsuki said. 

"I thought the title was appropriate, because I changed so much.  Besides, Takasu-sensei said it fit my new image.  I don't know though, I don't think I've established one yet, especially since Full Moon disappeared,"  Madoka said, the last bit with more than just a hint of sadness, which tugged at Mitsuki's heartstrings for more reasons than just Madoka's lamentation. 

"I'm sure she'll be back one day," Mitsuki said, though she doubted the possibility herself, the thought leading her to think of Takuto once again.  Her sudden sadness caught Madoka by surprise, though she misinterpreted Mitsuki's dismay as simply her missing Full Moon.  How true it was, though once again for far more reasons than Madoka might think.  

"I hope so, Mitsuki.  You know, I really liked listening to her sing.  She has such a beautiful voice," and paused, "You know, you sound like her sometimes," Madoka thought out loud, startling Mitsuki again.

"Oh, me? No, I don't think…"

"No, it's true! I hear you singing out back by yourself sometimes when I come over, and you have a really pretty voice!  Maybe when you're better you can audition and can become an idol, too.  I know! I'll set up an interview with Takasu-sensei!"

Mitsuki trademarkedly put her hand above her head and squinted her eyes again, laughing as the tear formed in the corner by her right temple.  "Oh, umm… I… ummm."

Madoka laughed, and suddenly got up as she noticed the time on her watch, "Oh no! I have to get to the studio, I have a shoot tonight! Bye Mitsuki!" and bowing, "farewell, grandmother, I'll see you soon! Thank you!"

Madoka's leaving the house created a sudden void where her presence had been, and made the house seem unnaturally quiet.  Mitsuki only sat staring at the CD for a time.  

Finally, her grandmother got up and gently took the CD from Mitsuki.  "Tanaka-san, could you please bring us your radio?" she asked, causing no small amount of shock to run through both Mitsuki and Tanaka-san.  

"Yes, yes, of course, ma'am," was the reply, and little time passed before she rushed into the room with her little portable music box and plugged it into the wall.  "What would you like to listen to, ma'am?"

"Why, this new CD of Madoka-chan, of course, please put it in for us, and," she said, pausing slightly before finishing, "you can finish cleaning afterwards, if you'd like to listen with us."

"Thank you, ma'am, of course," came the excited reply, and it was but moments before they were listening to Madoka's rather sad, slow opening song, _My Falling Tears_.

Finally the last song came to a close, an upbeat melody more in line with Madoka's former style entitled _Coming Back to Me_.  "… will I just be the same even though I've come so far, or will there be a new person staring through the mirror?" asked the song. 

_Full Moon_, Mitsuki thought wistfully to herself as the song played through_.  I wonder if I'll be able to keep our promise to everyone_.

Her grandmother noticed her sudden sullenness, "Mitsuki, do you have any homework?" she asked in an attempt to lighten her granddaughter's mood.

"I finished it earlier, grandmother," replied Mitsuki, her eyes focused on nothing as they gazed at the table in front of her.  Her thoughts flew back to Takuto yet again, slid gently by Eichi-kun, and came back to rest on Madoka's songs. "I really liked Madoka's songs, did you like them, too?" she asked.

"They were pleasant.  It was kind of her to bring it here. You must find something to give her in return."

"Yes, grandmother, I will."

"Full Moon has a more soothing voice.  And… you do sound like her," her grandmother trailed off, as she gazed pensively at Mitsuki's downcast eyes, before rising and heading to her bedroom. "I wonder what became of that girl."

Mitsuki's eyes watered slightly as her grandmother left the room, nearly forgetting Tanaka-san until the maid rose from nearby to finish her household duties.  Before leaving, she turned to ask, "Mitsuki-chan, I can't find your bunny and cat, did you lose them somewhere?"

At first Mitsuki was too surprised by the question to respond.  Eventually she sobered slightly and simply said, "I.. let them go.  Thank you."

Tanaka raised her finger and was about to inquire further, but seeing Mitsuki's expression decided against it, and went off about her chores, leaving Mitsuki alone in the living room.

                                               ------------------------------------

_Grrr_, thought Takuto to himself as he glared angrily at the ceiling above his bed, _why do I keep thinking about that stupid girl.  What was wrong with her, anyway?! Just grabbing  me like that…_

Frustrated though he seemed to be, Takuto still felt the warmth of Mitsuki's hug.  Mitsuki… Full Moon, why did those names seem so nearly familiar to him?  Try as he might, Takuto could find no answers in his room or the ceiling.

As thinking about it was getting him nowhere, Takuto turned his mind to other pertinent issues, and eventually decided to begin looking for means to support himself in this city.  The funds from his time as a singer were nearly depleted, it had been quite a relief  and surprise to have recovered them at all.  And he knew nobody here.

Takuto began questioning his decision to have come to the city in the first place.  And another thing tugged at his mind not at all gently… what had happened in the two years since he had left!  Perhaps he had met this little girl, and Wakaoji… now there was a name he could sink his teeth into.  So this girl was somehow connected to that pianist.  Takuto wondered for a bit what had happened to Wakaoji after Route L broke up, and the thought crossed his mind that perhaps he could find out while in the city, though he was not certain that he really wanted to know… 

Shaking his head, Takuto got up out of his bed and walked down the thin staircase past the flower shop, waving to the owner as he left.  It seemed that night had fallen some time ago, and though Takuto searched the sky, dark clouds blocked star and moonlight that he somehow knew would have comforted him.  Without any direction, Takuto began walking off down one of the nearest streets, eventually ending up outside of a nearby nightclub. 

As he was still only 16, and looked it, Takuto was stopped at the entrance by a rather large doorman, "Excuse me, kiddo, we don't allow …" the big man suddenly paused, "wait a minute, aren't you Takuto Kira?  Oh, man, I used to love Route L, you're him, aren't you?"

Takuto's surprise was only heightened by the sound of one of his band's songs emanating from inside, though the voice was female, and the rhythm had a strange sloping beat to it.  

"That was Wakamatsu Madoka's Eternal Snow, now… get ready for… Full Moon!" shouted the DJ, emphasizing Full Moon as the large crowd's cheering became intense enough to drown out his final words.  

Sure enough, Takuto could tell that this was Route L's song, sung beautifully by this Full Moon.  

_That name again_! he thought to himself in a daze, not noticing as one of the bulldog's coworkers reached the DJ's station.  

As the song came to a close, Takuto began to feel uneasy when suddenly the bulldog man grabbed him by the arm and said, "Come on!" and proceeded to lead him to the large tables at which sat the DJ, who was pacifying the audience with his soothing voice, "… back five years ago," he droned on, "Originally sung by Route L, and… oh wow! It really is him!  Hey, everyone, looks like we have a special guest here tonight, it seems my friend Nisson has just brought to the stage, none other, than the LEAD SINGER from Route L, everyone give a huge round of applause for Takuto Kira!!!" 

Takuto suddenly found himself gazing at a mass of hands banging together, fists waving in the air, and calls and cheers louder than any he remembered during his time singing.  

"Sing for us!!!" shouted more than a few people in the crowd, and soon the cheer became like a chant as the voices rose together, saying, "Takuto! Takuto! Takuto!"

Every fiber of Takuto's being longed to pick up the microphone and fulfill their request.  The DJ even began playing his version, Route L's version, of Eternal Snow, in the background, but Takuto vividly remembered his last attempt at song, and his grisly hacking in front of Mitsuki earlier in the day.  

_Mitsuki_, he thought.  _Full Moon means Mitsuki, doesn't it_…  

He accepted the microphone, but only bowed and said in a sad voice, "I honestly wish I could sing for you tonight, but I can't.  I'm truly sorry!" he finished, tears welling up inside him and threatening to break his composure.  

Takuto ran through the crowd as the people turned to one another and wondered aloud in hushed tones.  Some began calling his name again, some sadly, some saying farewell, others with hints of anger.  Reaching the door, the bulldog stopped him before he could run outside, "Aww, man, I didn't mean to put you on the spot, I'm sorry."  

"It's just that… I can no longer sing," replied Takuto, a sad edge strongly tinting his voice, "it hurts too much."

"I always wondered what happened to you.  You know, the piano player lives pretty close to here, I hear, though he's some sort of doctor or manager or something, now.  Rumor was that he was backing Full Moon.  Maybe you two could form a band, or something, because man, you guys were just awesome.  Heh, maybe Full Moon could even be in it, now that would be something!"

"Full Moon, huh," Takuto said thoughtfully, suddenly becoming aware of the large number of eyes turned towards their conversation, "sorry I couldn't…" he said, and turned and left hurriedly through the door and back towards his apartment.

Weeks passed, and Takuto began helping at the florist shop where he lived, earning rent and a small bit extra which he began putting towards his guitar.  _Perhaps I can play this instead, someday_, he hoped to himself.

Mitsuki's classes continued, lessons a mix of dullness and excitement as her body continued to heal itself.  She frequently visited Wakaoji-sensei, who now seemed more involved with Ooshige-san, as the two always seemed to be talking when Mitsuki inquired. 

"Oh, Ooshige is doing very well, she has a new talent that she's promoting who may just become the biggest sensation since Full Moon!  Not that anyone could ever sing like you, though," Wakaoji smiled as he said this, though Mitsuki could only smile for a moment as the memories filled her mind, and her aching desire loomed further and further away.  Several times she had returned to the small strip of beach near her house, and none of those times had she encountered Takuto again.  

                                          ---------------------------------------

"Wakaoji-sensei, could the procedure that cured me also help Takuto?" Mitsuki asked one day, as he placed the depressor in the waste bin nearby.

"I'd have to see what exactly is wrong with him, Mitsuki.  Cancers are different one to the next, but I think it just might be possible." 

"Where could he be?  Do you think he thinks about me?" 

Just then, Takuto sneezed, "The chrysanthemums always do that to me…"

"I'm sure of it, Mitsuki," Wakaoji said, sincerely.

"But he had to take a moon flower to erase his memory, so that he wouldn't disappear.  I wonder if he will ever remember me again.  I saw him a few weeks ago…"

"Saw him?  I thought the Shinigami were gone."

"He was alive, Wakaoji-sensei.  Meroko appeared and led me to him!"

"Takuto?  Takuto Kira?  Was alive?  What happened? Where did you see him?"

"It was down by the beachfront at Shinzaho, he was sitting on a bench, he even had a little kitty figure with him. But he didn't recognize me, Wakaoji-sensei, he didn't want to speak to me at all!" turning her large eyes to Wakaoji, Mitsuki finally began releasing the tears that had been building up over the past month.  Through her schoolwork, through classes, through the visits to Wakaoji, and countless dinners with her grandmother, suddenly she found herself able to speak, and in doing so…

"Mitsuki…"

Mitsuki only continued crying as Wakaoji wrapped her in a warm hug.

"He was here, huh.  You know, about a week ago, a friend from The Stinger Pit said that someone was looking for me.  I wonder if it was Takuto."   Suddenly he stood up, determination in his voice "Well, Mitsuki, let's get going!"

Wakaoji began putting away the files on his desk into the gray metal cabinet nearby.  Pressing a button on the phone next to his computer, he said, "Nurse, please page me if an emergency comes up, otherwise I am out for the rest of the day."

"Yes, sensei," came the reply, though Wakaoji was already standing by the door, hanging his lab coat on the brass rack to its right.

Mitsuki, however, was just sitting, stunned, on the chair where she had been left, and asked, "Wakaoji-sensei, where are we going?"

"Why, to find Takuto, of course!"


	3. Dream Power

**Chapter 3 – Dream Power**

Meroko enjoyed her role as an angel to such a degree that she often found things to do when she was not actively assigned to angelic duty. She had gone to a playground and changed the lives of a group of bullies at one point, passing through just as they were about to destroy the beauty of a younger group's sand castles.  Not a week before her latest assignment, she had visited a children's hospital and entertained as a talking bunny rabbit, away from the eyes of the concerned parents, of course.

Meroko's current assignment found her as a young girl of three's stuffed bunny rabbit and imaginary friend. Just about one month had passed since she had joined Satora Eniki's family.  The girl's parents were just too often too busy to spend time with her, and to avert the path of deep depression upon which she had been headed, Meroko sat waiting for her on a park bench one sunny day.  Her mom had insisted that she leave the mangy stuffed animal (Meroko had actually been able to ignore those words…) behind as it must belong to someone, but Eniki had insistently sat on the bench for a full three hours, waiting patiently for the non-existent owner.  Finally, her exasperated mother had given in and allowed Meroko into the family. 

"…and then my mommy told me get off the couch 'cause my pants were dirty," said Eniki, finishing another tale of her mother castigating her for some minor offense.

"daddy didn't say anything,"  she concluded to the little stuffed animal, gently stroking its ears.  Meroko only looked up at her, as both of them listened to the parents speak about their work day to each other in the living room next door.  Their voices rose and fell as the news' excitement waxed and waned.  

The telephone rang, causing a ripple in the tide of the conversation, and Eniki's mother's voice could be heard as she answered. "Kato is sick? Oh, ok.  I see.  I'll be right there.  Hold on, let me get a pen.  Shinzao.  Ok, what's the address again?  Ok, I'll be right there," the sound of the phone being placed back in its cradle could be heard.

"Could you put Eniki to bed, dear?  I won't be back until late morning, it seems." 

"Kato is sick again, huh?" 

"The owner is furious, I guess he has a right to be, this is the second time one of them has called in just two hours before show time."  

"You really need to let Katori handle things more often, dear, if you keep helping her like this she'll never be able to handle these emergencies."

"I know, but…"

The conversation in the next room rambled on as Meroko gazed into Eniki's sad eyes.  The little girl sat quietly for a time, before suddenly bursting into tears. Meroko could barely hear the father's exasperated comment from the other room, "There she goes again! Well, I'll try and see what is wrong with our little Eniki this time.  You'd best get going, dear."

The man walked into the room with an impatient look on his face, his short spiky hair framing an oddly proportioned square face.  The brown eyes were set just too far apart, causing the wide brim of his nose to seem larger than the narrow tip.

"Eniki, it isn't polite to listen in on our conversations, you know.  Now, off to bed with you."

The little girl buried her face in Meroko and continued her loud wailing.  Meroko merely accepted the pain, though her eyes became spirals as the fierce hugging continued.

The father had given up on her already and gone back to the living room to speak to his wife, who had nearly been out the door.

"I swear, I just don't know what to do, do I just let her cry it out?"

"I'm sure she'll be ok.  Goodbye, Eniki, I love you, sweetie," her mom called to her, followed by the click as the door closed.

Father soon returned, reminding Eniki to increase the pitch of her sobbing again.  Meroko gently stroked her face away from his adult eyes, and as her father simply stood staring down at the two, Eniki slowly drained herself, and lost the energy to continue.

"There you go, now let's go to bed, Eniki, I'll even read you that story that you like so much," and which her father found boring and silly.

"Ok, daddy," came the muffled reply, and Meroko whispered softly so that only Eniki could hear, "I'll take you on a voyage after the story, Eniki, maybe we can even go see the head Oliphant!"

The little girl said "Ok!" again, a bit more eagerly, and though her dad had already turned his back and headed towards her bedroom, the sheer excitement in her voice gave him a brief, odd sensation towards his little daughter… a slight tingling in his breast which he quickly shook off as he prepared to appease her with her lame little children's tale.

Eniki washed and changed into her pajamas as her father searched for the proper book on the shelf near her bed.  She had crawled under the covers already when he turned to her, and staring down at his daughter as she gripped the fluffy red bunny doll that she had found warmed his heart, and he found it easy to embellish the story of how Baraba overcame his differences from the other Oliphants to eventually triumph and become their king.  "And lo! The great king…" he added at one point, "… woof woof," he barked like a dog at another, and at the very end of Baraba's tale he found himself trumpeting like a true Oliphant to the delight of his daughter.  Her tender smile pleased him enough to warrant a kiss on her forehead, as he supposed parents were supposed to kiss their children before leaving them for the night, and true to Meroko's promise, Eniki dreamed pleasantly of immense jungles and gray Oliphants as they trudged through, herself their beloved queen and ruler.

                                             --------------------------------------

The dream ended too suddenly, though.  Struggling to swallow through parched lips to soothe his dry throat, Takuto clenched his fist in self-abasing anger before reaching over to his nightstand for his water glass, the pain of the cancer scattering the images of Meroko and Mitsuki from his mind, leaving him grasping vainly at the dream's shattered pieces.  

Her face was still fresh, though, the same little girl from before, the first face he had recognized since waking from the nightmarish gap of two years that had passed since his accident.  He struggled to remember events long since suppressed yet again, but they were truly erased, and try as he might, his memory would not follow his will.  Sitting up finally, Takuto placed his face between bent knees and simply sat listening to the sound of his breath as it entered and left his body.  He shut his eyes tightly before lying back down and returning to the land of his dreams.

Morning came, the sun sifting through the shades on his window, arousing Takuto just minutes before his alarm clock would have woken him anyway.  He got out of bed and stretched his arms high above his head, mentally thinking of his workday ahead before he realized that the day was the weekend and his day off.

_I need to get out more_, Takuto thought to himself unhappily, times in the band returning to him, of staying out late for parties on the weekends and some weeknights, missing weeks of school at a time, though his friends tutored him on the road.   The life of a rock star was definitely much more suited to him, not this sedentary work as a florist's helper.

Having made up his mind, Takuto slung his guitar around his shoulder again, the miniature cat figurine dangling loosely behind.  The flower shop below was still closed, though the owner could be seen arranging various colors of roses in the refrigerator behind the counter.  Takuto knocked on the glass entrance.

"I'm going to try to look for another job, Kanoka-san, thank you for letting me work here until now."

Though surprised by the suddenness of it, Kanoka had sensed Takuto's distress for a while now and anticipated this day for some time.  Takuto had seemed restless since the very first day, though he had worked hard and helped Kanoka increase his business as well as become a friend.

"Do your best, Takuto! I'm sure you'll find something that suits you."

Takuto headed to a local club where bands regularly hung out looking for replacements and new members.  He knew that he would face tough competition, added to the fact that guitar had never been Takuto's strongest musical ability, but he knew that he could never sing again, and his playing was adequate for most.

The Sliced Onion was a rather large, dingy club off the side streets of one of the major thoroughfares in the city.  Seeing its outside made people want to cry, as its drab faded brown exterior mixed with a putrid gray, making it seem like the pants of a hobo rather than the side of a building.  The door was made of a heavy metallic iron, and though surprisingly easy to open for its weight, it felt cold to the touch and its deep and numerous dents hinted as to its age. 

No signs pointed to the entrance, the only indication that this was the number one hang out of nearly every major band in the city being the absolutely incredible music that often emanated from its walls, which were just soundproof enough to reduce everything to a slight hum and bass beat.  

Inside, Takuto stepped onto a huge wooden floor basked in a near-gloomy dimness, off to the side of which could almost be seen twenty or thirty doors which led to various rooms set up with amps, sound systems, computer recording equipment, beds, couches, and more.  Those rooms were fully soundproof, and several had their doors shut and people posted outside to guard, in spite of their evident intoxication and ease of manner.  

On stage was a hip and exciting group that had caused quite a sensation along with Full Moon, now singing one of their more popular numbers, Rock and Roll Princess Ni Natte.  Takuto's leg moved involuntarily to the beat as he glanced about the dimly lit room, searching for the seekers who were scouting nearly every patron that walked in.  He recognized a face or two from the streets here and there, noticed several crowds of gapers seated around obviously current idols, and finally made eye contact with the lead of a group of four who were nearly surrounded by their noisy fans and most likely several aspiring musicians.  

Takuto eased his way through the tight crowd as the other gentleman first scoped out Takuto, then nudged one of his friends who obviously recognized the former singer.  He excitedly turned to the female next to him, who in turn calmly assessed Takuto before elbowing the final gent, who was busy in conversation with a small group of roadies and shooed her with his hand.  She shrugged her shoulders, and the trio talked quietly amongst themselves as Takuto approached.  Finally arriving, the lead member asked one of the seated fans rather decisively to relinquish his chair, and motioned for Takuto to have a seat.

"Takuto Kira, right?" he said, skipping any pleasantries with his cool demeanor.

Takuto merely nodded slightly, and passed his gaze among the band members, who stared at him for a time.  The final member cut off his flirtation finally, and turning to the group said, "So, you guys found a new singer, huh?"

"This used to be the singer for Route L, before he moved to Kissime.  Then two years ago, he just vanished."

"Route L, huh?" said the girl, evidently interested in Takuto, "he seems a bit young, how old are you, little Kira?" 

Takuto stated, "I'm not here to sing.  I'm looking to play the guitar."

The group hesitated, somewhat stunned, before the lead member grinned and said, "Well, then you'll have to fight it out the gent at the end of the table.  Maso, how'd you like a little competition to see which of you plays a better axe?" and he and the girl began laughing at Maso's evident dismay.

"Hey, man, you'd better be kidding! I was one of the first members here, you know!" Maso defended himself by slapping his right hand on the table.

"Look, Takuto, we really need a singer, come join us and use those great chords of yours, eh?" interrupted the leader, calmly.

Takuto fought back his emotions as he replied, "I can't.  I wish I could, I really wish I could, but I can't," Takuto swallowed hard, "so you don't need a second guitar player, huh…"

"Nah, sorry, not really."

"What do you mean, not really, no way!" shouted Maso, but suddenly calmed down upon seeing Takuto's dismay, "Sorry kid, try Kleaning Up, they're probably in room number three over on the other side of the hall, I hear their guitarist had some sort of injury and may not be able to play any more."

"Thanks," said Takuto, and walked off without a backward glance, leaving the band sitting speechless for a moment before Maso resumed flirtation with his gaggle of girls and the rest slowly rejoined their previous conversations.


	4. The Sun's Rays

**Chapter 4 – The Sun's Rays**

Mitsuki's throat had recovered significantly since the operation, and today like many others found her in the back of her house singing along with Madoka's new CD.  She was dismayed to find that she could not project nearly as loudly as she had been able to as Full Moon, and wondered to herself if the strength she had felt then would ever return.  

_Oh, Takuto, where are you_, she thought to herself, as she sang along, "We parted ways not long ago, will I ever see you again…" one of the surprisingly more upbeat tunes on the CD, _Lament to a Dark Sky_.  Her school friends were supposed to meet her soon, so Mitsuki shut off the CD player and went to the front of the house to wait for them.

As she stood outside, a light breeze billowed her clothing and soothed her, inspiring Mitsuki to begin humming to herself.  Lost in her music, she was startled as her friends suddenly appeared in front of her.

"Wow, Mitsuki, you even hum well!" said Wakana.

"Yeah!" chimed in the other two.

Mitsuki blushed and said "thank you", then the three girls followed her to her room.  Sitting comfortably on the floor, they talked about school, music, life, parents, and of course, boys.  The school semester was rapidly approaching its close, and traditionally her school held a dance for those about to graduate.  Mitsuki and her friends were eager to go, being that it may be their final chance at seeing all of their classmates from the past several years.

 "Wakana is thinking about asking Saoho to the dance," said Kumi, causing her friend to blush.

 "Isn't he supposed to ask her, though?" stated Tomoe, nodding her head as if it were absolutely true.

 "But he never will, he's too shy," replied Kumi, obviously ignoring Wakana's red face as she continued the conversation.

 "W-what about you, Kumi? Who will you go with?" Wakana stumbled, forcedly changing the subject.

 "I think I'm going to ask Rei-senpai," said Kumi dreamily, Wakana's feint obviously succeeding.

 "Rei-senpai?  He's already in high school!" said Mitsuki.

 "Yes, but he's so cuuuuute!" replied Kumi, and all four laughed out loud.

 "What about you, Mitsuki?" asked Tomoe, "I know that Ako-kun has been looking at you a lot lately, and we saw you talking to Shinji-kun yesterday, did either of them ask you?"

Mitsuki shook her head, "No, I was just helping him with some notes from class."

"Oh, who do you want to go with, then?" continued Tomoe.

"Or will you finally bring your mystery guy!" concluded Kumi, at which Tomoe and Wakana jumped on her to silence her.

Mitsuki was unphased by the question, though, "I think I'll just go myself, and watch you all.  I know I'll have a good time!" she exclaimed.

 "Aww, Mitsuki!" said Wakana, as Tomoe admonished Kumi in the background, whispering, "You know she's sensitive about that, Kumi!"

 "Eh, it's ok, Tomoe.  I honestly wish I could introduce you to him, but I'm not sad about it anymore, I promise," Mitsuki said, even believing it herself.

"I know!" said Kumi suddenly, turning to Tomoe and Wakana, "Forget about Rei-senpai, I'm going with Mitsuki!"

 "Oh!" said Tomoe, "Me too! If anyone asks me, I'll just tell them I already have a date!"

Mitsuki blushed and said, "Oh no! Please don't, just for me!"

 "But like you said, Mitsuki, we'll all have fun anyway, I think it'll be more fun going with you all than with some boy," said Tomoe, having already made up her mind.

Wakana only blushed and sat quietly, evidently still desiring to go with some boy.  Finally she spoke up, as Kumi and Tomoe stared at her fiercely, "I-I'll go too, I guess…"

 "Wakana, it's ok, if Saoho asks, you should say yes! We can still meet at the dance."

 "Really, Mitsuki? That's ok with you?"

 "Of course it is!  We all know how long you've been waiting for him to ask you out, don't say no just because of us!"

 "Yeah, she's right, we'll be there to support you, Wakana," chimed in Kumi.

 "Ok, it's settled!" said Tomoe, "Now we just have to get Saoho to ask her out…"

The hours passed quickly, and Mitsuki was again left alone to think about the search for Takuto.  Wakaoji had taken her to many different bars and clubs these past few weeks, and Mitsuki had heard more rock music than she'd heard her entire life, met more band members than she had ever known existed, and still not found even a lead to the one person for whom she was searching.  

Wakaoji was certainly trying hard, though, and even Ooshige had been keeping her ears open in the superstar circuit, but every possibility had turned out to be a dead end.

_At least I'm not so gloomy anymore_, Mitsuki thought to herself, turning her attention to the mound of homework that had been piled upon her what with the school year fast approaching its close. 

 "I guess next year I'll have even more homework to do," she said aloud, and opened up her math textbook.

Eventually she finished with her regular homework, and Mitsuki took out a special binder which she had bought for herself.  Glitter laced the front cover, blue sparkles highlighting a reddish pink cover.  Opening to the first blank page, she wrote, "Though I think of you so much, I get on with my lif…" erased from "I get" and sat staring at the page for a while again.  "Takuto, Eichi.  Mom and dad.  What do I want to say to you now?"

Again putting pencil to paper, Mitsuki continued, "time has passed softly, leaves fallen and changed to snow, now the snow is melting as the sun comes out today."

 "Hmm," she thought aloud as she tapped the tip of the pencil on her desk, "it sounds ok, but I can't sing that."

Heaving a heavy sigh, Mitsuki placed the notebook and pencil down and closed her eyes, singing softly to herself in her mind, the tune flowing so willingly that soon the words followed.

The Sun's Rays 

_I think of you, though so much time has passed.  
The seasons turn before my eyes,  
And still I sing, calling out your name [You went far away, so far away.]  
Yet here you are, still beside me. [And I can hear your voice inside me.]  
O-oh, so near, oh so far…_

_Wherever you are, I am there with you,  
Forever ever as you always with me,  
Time cannot slow the passage of the days,  
You are my guide,   
Ever by my side  
The pulse of the sun's rays._

_I wait for you,  
As eternity fades away,  
I'll wait always for you to sing again. [And I can hear your voice.]  
Oh how we dreamed, of being together, [When was the time, where was the way.]  
Now we can, now we are, oh so near, o-oh, so far…_

_[chorus] Wherever you are, I am there with you…_

_The distant star shines brightly,  
Turning snow to water softly,  
A cool breeze caresses me,  
Yet still I'm here._

_Feathers sprout and then they fall,  
And I along with you oh through it all,  
For here you are,  
Forever ever {together} by my side._

_Thoughts of you make the time pass by,  
My heart melts as you return to day. [The sun sinks low in the sky.]  
And still you are, always here beside me.  [O-oh right by me.]  
I walk away, we walk towards, you shine on me,  
{whispered} So far, ever oh so near…_

_[chorus] Wherever you are, I am there with you…_

_                                             -----------------------------------_

_It seemed impossible, and Takuto was swiftly losing any hope of joining a group as a guitarist.  It's not that his playing was poor, but he was no match for those who had long been playing professionally.  The hardest part was that nearly every band he approached asked him to be their singer instead, only adding to his despair.  _

_Maybe it's time to give up, he thought to himself, as he sat in the corner far from the door of Nightclub Tchigao, his guitar lazily resting by his side.   Takuto closed his eyes and again tried to see through the block that seemed to persist in his memory.  _

_"So where were you these last two years," Group FunKee's lead singer, Tsunami, had asked of him.  _

_I don't remember, thought Takuto to himself.  I fell off my bike, I should have died.  I don't even remember being in a hospital.  What if I had some weird amnesia all that time?  This of course, again brought Mitsuki's face to his mind.  Bah, she's just a kid.  But maybe she knows where I was, I guess I shouldn't have been so harsh with her.  Perhaps she was my last true fan, maybe even more, and look how I treated her._

_I'm sorry, little girl, wherever you are.  _

_Disgusted with himself, feeling guilt and shame, topped off by too many rejections to count, Takuto opened his eyes, frowned, and made to leave the bars, clubs, and music scene behind, when a figure across the room caught his eye.  Short brown hair, black leather jacket, and... Takuto became certain as he stared, that he recognized the face now in his sights. _

_What is he doing here? Takuto thought to himself, settling back down and keeping a close eye on Wakaoji as the former pianist made his way through the room._

_                                           ----------------------------------------------_

_Walking into this place was a last resort for certain. Wakaoji had been following false leads for weeks, each one assuring him that Takuto had been spotted in some remote place or another, always asking about joining a band.  Wakaoji continued on because he knew that Takuto would try anything just to be near music again, and thus believing, had dragged Mitsuki around to nearly every nightclub and bar in the city, each time enduring her eagerness before they entered, and kind dejection when they left empty handed.  _

_She never outwardly showed any dismay, always telling Wakaoji, "If he is out here, we'll meet him soon, Sensei.  Thank you very much for trying," which served oddly enough to both encourage him to keep trying, as well as causing him no small amount of anguish as he often continued the search alone past her curfew._

_Wakaoji entered the club and began his usual round of scouring the room for any recognizable faces.  Having been the final stop for Route L, Tchigao was not an easy place for him to enter, though once inside he became overwhelmed with emotion as memory brought back the good times that he had enjoyed with his former band.  _

_We had so much fun, that really was a great time of my life, he thought, the concept soothing his chafed nerves.  _

_Finally spotting a face he recognized, oblivious to the fingers pointing in his direction and the whispers now aimed at him, Wakaoji turned his gaze towards the band Gromit's table, and receiving an acknowledging eye contact, approached.   He was somewhat surprised by their reaction, and even a bit leery, as the band seemed a bit too eager to see him.  Gromit had been one of Route L's biggest rivals, often competing for locations at which to perform, Tchigao being one of them_

_ "What a surprise. Wakaoji, right?" asked the band's lead member, Nakuro._

_ "Nakuro, it's been a long time, good evening," replied Wakaoji pleasantly._

_ "First Takuto, now you.  Maybe the other two are coming back soon, too, huh?" said the drummer, an obnoxious man of about thirty who had his hair chopped in a multi-colored mohawk which fit very poorly above his small, pocked face._

_ "Takuto was here?" asked Wakaoji seriously, startling the band with his tone._

_ "He he he, I guess you two didn't plan to meet here, then," the leader said coyly, old grudges returning to mind._

_ "He's sitting in that corner," said the female singer, who had rather envied Route L's togetherness, and in spite of their competitiveness had always been friendly towards them._

_ "Aww, have to go and spoil our fun," the leader said, but Wakaoji was hardly paying attention as he followed Shirai's finger to the far corner of the club._

_ "Well, he was there a few minutes ago, at least," said the drummer, noticing the empty spot where Takuto had gone and sat down earlier, "He probably took off when he saw you."_

_ "Thank you," was all Wakaoji said, before bowing and heading towards the exit. _

_It's probably true, though.  He forgave me as a Shinigami, but if what Mitsuki said is true, he won't remember.  I guess he still harbors all of the same anger towards me for leaving music behind._

_Wakaoji's mad dash to the exit certainly caused quite a clamor in the bar, as more and more people became informed that the two former Route L members had just been present.  An outcome of this was that the rather burly door guard was blocking the door when Wakaoji finally reached it._

_ "Mr. Yakamura would like to see you, Wakaoji-sensei," he stated flatly._

_Wakaoji sized up the situation quickly, and from his past experiences with the bar's owner knew that the matter was not up to debate._

_ "I really need to go outside right now, tell him I'll be right back," said Wakaoji, "Or did you stop Takuto as well?"_

_ "Little Kira was really here, too, then?" the big man pulled out his cellular phone and dialed a number, "Yes, Mr. Yakamura, the boy was here, too.  Wakaoji says he is in a hurry, should I let him go?  Yes, sir.  No, sir, I didn't see him before he left," turning to Wakaoji, "You are going to look for the kid? You had best come right back, and bring him with you."_

_ "I don't know if I can do that, but I will come back," said Wakaoji, feeling the slick hand of fate tugging Takuto gently away from him, and more importantly, from Mitsuki._

_ "Hold on, Wakaoji," said the guard, redialing the number on his phone._

_Desperation lent the doctor a good bit of adrenaline, and Wakaoji seized upon a moment of recklessness.  He hurled himself at the doorman and rushed through the fortunately open door, nearly knocking over two people who were just entering._

_In spite of his haste, he took a moment as the door closed, to stop and say to the man and the two patrons, "I'm very sorry!" and "I will be back, I promise!"_

_Turning down the street, Wakaoji began running before his senses were fully caught up with him.  Before he'd even taken a step, though, he was stopped by a familiar voice from behind._

_"What are you doing here?" came the harsh query, and turning, Wakaoji was greeted by a rather surly Takuto Kira._

_                                  ----------------------------------------------_

_The air shimmered in front of her, and bunny Meroko knew before the figure appeared that her time with Eniki was now to come to a close.  The family had made tremendous progress the last two weeks, Meroko had been sitting ignored on Eniki's bed all that time, the girl having all but forgotten her short-lived best friend and guardian.  Meroko poofed into her spirit form as the boy coalesced before her, knowing before she asked anyway that she would not even be allowed to say goodbye._

_ "She has to forget about you now, Meroko, it is the most difficult part of our job."_

_ "I know," said Meroko sadly, her own thoughts soon uplifting her again. "It feels so good to have been," Meroko blushed, "here," she finished._

_Her friend and angelic partner grabbed her hand and smiled gently into her eyes, encompassing her in his gaze as she warmed herself in his._

_ "I don't feel that I need to be anywhere yet," she said as they floated along, "Is the dog ok?" for her partner had been aiding a stray in finding a home, alternatively helping the home find a good companion._

_ "You're welcome to come meet the Ando family with me, I think they called him Slice, and he fit in perfectly."_

_Meroko allowed herself to be led to a middle sized townhouse not three blocks from Eniki's house.  Even from outside, she could hear the sounds of children playing inside, and a dog yapping merrily with its playmates._

_She stopped, hovering in the air above the house, a strange, unpleasant sensation alerting her to the nearby presence of another supernatural being._

_ "There is a Shinigami here," she said, no hint of emotion in her voice.  "Perhaps we'd better go."_

_ "A Shinigami? Oh…" and the boy's voice trailed off as he cast his eyes downward sadly, "the father was having respiratory problems when I brought the dog, I wonder if," and here he could not continue, until Meroko gently hovered next to him and wrapped her arms gently around him._

_ "But I wouldn't have brought the dog here if it would have meant his death, would I?  I mean, why would they," he paused, "why would I let myself do that?"_

_Meroko began feeling course waves of nausea as the strong sensation began to overwhelm her, and briefly she thought she glimpsed a dark tint in the air that must have been the presence of the death angels.  She convulsed as the feeling swept through her, causing her to drop swiftly towards the ground, stopped barely by two comforting arms._

_ "You…" she gasped, "don't feel that?  It's… so… strong," and everything went dark._


	5. And Cut To

**Chapter 5 – And Cut To…**

Wakaoji could only stare at his young former companion for a time, shock creeping through his body like the ripples of an earthquake.  It had taken some time for him to become accustomed the idea of his former friend's death, and now he would have to become accustomed to his return to life. Wakaoji carefully treaded around the subject of Takuto's time as a Shinigami, forcing himself not to ask Takuto if he were really here. Mitsuki had warned that Takuto had become quite angry with her at the mention of being a Shinigami.

 "Takuto, you're really here," he finally said, "I've been looking for you."

 "So I'd heard, and I've been avoiding you," came the abrupt reply.

_This is Takuto allright,_ thought Wakaoji to himself.  _For Mitsuki's sake... and for his, I need to be careful._

 "Could you come with me, Takuto, there are some things I'd like to talk about with you."

 "Beh, talk right here, old man."

Leery of the club in front of which they were still standing, Wakaoji knew that this might be his only chance to regain the trust of the revived boy, and continued amidst several worried glances at the club's door.

 "I am a doctor now, Takuto, did you know that?"

 "I'd heard the rumors, so you really did give up on music, huh.  Pathetic."

 "Takuto, I performed surgery on someone with throat cancer, a singer like yourself.  And she kept her voice.  She asked me to… and I want to help you, Takuto, will you consider letting me do the procedure to cure you?"

 "Eh?" Takuto said, bristling slightly at mention of his ailment.

Wakaoji only stood silently, forcing himself not to press the issue and give Takuto some room to decide.

 "First tell me why you quit," Takuto said after a time, "I thought you loved music, yet as soon as you could, you went and became a doctor."

Immensely relieved, Wakaoji quickly replied, "Gladly!  Would you like to come with me, first?  I need to go back inside, Mr. Yakamura invited us to speak with him."

 "Hah, that guy? Feh, I only came here because…" Takuto trailed off.

 "You really want to play again, don't you?"

Takuto remained silent for a time, his distress evident.

 "Nobody wants to even listen to me play the guitar, you know, they only think of me as Takuto Kira, the singer for Route L."

 "That is the way of music, Takuto.  Well, you're welcome to come with me if you'd like," Wakaoji offered, then added, almost as an afterthought, "And, I became a producer not too long ago," _partially thanks to you, Takuto._ Wakaoji kept the thought to himself.

 "Fine, let's go," Takuto said, and followed Wakaoji inside. "A real cure, huh?"

                                       -----------------------------------------

 Mitsuki's heart pounded wildly in her chest.

 "… and he's staying above a florist's shop, not far from here, but I don't think he's ready to see you yet, Mitsuki.  He doesn't remember anything from that time, though I have tried mentioning things here and there."

 "But he will go through the surgery? Can you heal him, Wakaoji-sensei?  Can he sing again, too?"

 "He has not let me run the tests yet, I think he is simply afraid, Mitsuki.  Besides that, he has a hard time seeing me as a doctor.  It may be a while before he allows me to even look at his throat."

"Wakaoji-sensei! You have to, and soon! I remember you told me that it had to be done within a limited amount of time.  Please, Wakaoji-senai, please."

 "As you'll note, poor Ooshige-san has been left out of this until now."

 "Where has she been, anyway?"

                                  ---------------------------------------------

"Yes, sensei, I'll be sure to have her here soon.  Yes, yes.  Yes.  Yes.  Yes.  I'm very sorry, I mean, It'll be great working with you, let's do our best!"

Ooshige let out a tired sigh as the tone indicated that the call was over.  Not that she didn't appreciate all the work, but handling three up and coming idols was become extremely hectic, not to mention that she had been fending off questions about Full Moon ever since L-I-V-E.  Her new talents were surprisingly … talented, at least.  A young actor by the name of Kenjiri Mamotose, a singress to be named Hojiri Fumo, and the best and brightest of those under her care, someone who Ooshige thought would do well as an actor and a singer, a boy of only six who had already been asked to almost fifteen commercial spots. 

And still there were the constant phone calls regarding Full Moon, "So, Ooshige, where is she hiding?"  "Ooshige-san, you really don't know where she went?" "Do you know how many people are asking about Full Moon-san, and you, her manager don't know? It's impossible!" "We're prepared to offer you …" "Get me Full Moon and I'll get you …" "Full Moon.." "Full Moon…!" "FULL MOON…!!!"

Ooshige leaned her body heavily against the wall. Flustered as she was, with Mitsuki she had grown so much that her current issues oddly seemed easy to handle.  Sakura Sato rounded the corner, his hand clutching his mother's, to find Ooshige laughing to herself, a weary yet content smile gracing her face.  His mother loosened her grip on his hand, and sensing her misunderstanding, he calmly turned his starry brown eyes up to hers and told her, "Don't worry, mama, she's happy."

Extremely embarrassed, Ooshige turned her blushing face to the duo and hastily bowed several times while apologizing, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry! I was just…" but to her astonishment, Sato and his mother were merely smiling at her, nearly laughing.

 "Ooshige-san, did something good happen today?"

 "Sato-san," Ooshige said, addressing the mother, "I just realized how easy Full Moon made it for me to handle things that would have been very difficult before I met her."

 "You were Full Moon's manager?"

"I told you that, mama," piped in Sakura Sato, "She even let me meet Full Moon before she disappeared."

 "Oh, is that so?  Well, then.  I don't suppose you know where…" she stopped suddenly, for Ooshige had fallen to the floor, her legs dangling towards the sky. "Oh, is that a bad subject to talk about?"

Righting herself swiftly, Ooshige said, "It's just that I cannot tell anybody, and I have had to tell that to about fifty people today alone, and," noting the blinking red light on her phone, "I think I have another few to tell the same thing, soon.  How do all these people get my phone number!!!" she screamed the last bit rather loudly, fanning the Sato's hair back as if they were in a wind tunnel.

Maintaining her composure, Sakura's mother said, "I'm sure she had her reasons, she did promise everyone she would return, ne?"

Ooshige smiled, hiding the sadness of knowledge inside herself, "She did, didn't she?"

 "Ooshige-san, Full Moon was very pretty, I hope I can meet her again," said Sakura.

Her smile dimmed a bit as she responded, "Me too, Sakura-chan."

After a brief pause, she turned their attention back to matters at hand, "Now, are you ready to get to work, we have two commercials for you to audition for, plus the children's show at 7…"


	6. Eternal Snow

…**Chapter 6 – Eternal Snow**…

_Wakaoji__ sure has changed,_ thought Takuto to himself, as he sat waiting for the doctor at the café on Shimono Street.  _He was always a nice person, but now he seems so serious about something, too, and … so light-hearted.  He seems…_

Wakaoji entered the door and waved to Takuto, the genuine smile on his face easing Takuto's initial bristling, which had long been his initial reaction to everyone around him.  Wakaoji sat down, not bothering to remove the lab coat he had worn evidently to further ease Takuto's mind, and proceeded to remove several folders from his briefcase, containing pictures, diagrams, and x-rays regarding the operation.

They sat and spoke for several hours. Wakaoji thoroughly explained the procedure to Takuto, noting how this procedure was different than what had been available several years ago. He emphasized how the angle and mechanics of the new lasers no longer made it necessary to cut through the vocal cords as before, and was thus able to preserve the person's voice, except if the cancer had entirely consumed the throat.

 "But then you would be coughing blood every time you spoke, Takuto," Wakaoji answered before the singer could even ask, "I need to take a look at you, though, to see just how far your sarcoma has progressed.  But as easily as you speak now, I believe this procedure will go rather smoothly."

Slowly Takuto accepted the idea that he may be able to sing again, and hope lit his soul in a way that nothing had since Mitsuki's parents died so suddenly those years ago.  Fighting back tears, Takuto agreed, his concerns about funding waved away swiftly by Wakaoji.

 "If you remember, I told you that I became a producer.  Let's just say that the girl did very very well.  And, it was thanks to you, Takuto," Wakaoji finally breached the subject, sensing calmness and a relaxed spirit from the boy.

 "So you know where I've been these last two years, Wakaoji?" Takuto asked, his frustration building inside again, but this time directed only inward and not at his friend.

 "Let's first take care of your throat, Takuto," Wakaoji said firmly, _and then perhaps we can see about your memory._

Takuto agreed, his reservations finally making way to the immense desire he felt to once again return to the crowds, the cheering, the spotlight, and most of all, the sound of his own voice singing.

The check-up went rather quickly, and Wakaoji beamed after noting that Takuto's case was less severe than Mitsuki's had been. 

The hospital had become something of a news item since the first operation, and though Wakaoji shrugged and smiled at Takuto's questions about how difficult it would be to hold the operation, the reality was rather taxing for the sensei.  More than several of his colleagues had approached him with questions, the director of the hospital had asked him to write an extremely detailed analysis of the procedure, with particular note to its extensibility into cancers other than the throat, and the lab had become a training ground on weekends.  

For months now, Wakaoji had been tutoring several specialists from most of the major hospitals in the city on the workings of the new machines and technique.  Surprisingly, the pressure had not phased the sensei in the slightest, and Wakaoji had eagerly become the tutor, in hopes that others might benefit as Mitsuki had from the simple yet extremely advanced changes made in excising the tumors from the highly complicated area.

Wakaoji finalized plans for the operation, and approached Takuto regarding matters, "Takuto, it was asked of me to allow several other doctors to come and watch the procedure this time.  As you are the patient, I must leave it up to you."

 "I suppose you would not ask if it would not help.  Ok, Wakaoji, I'll allow it.  And perhaps it is time I met my benefactor," he added, attempting to make himself sound distant and uninterested, though the truth was quite the opposite, especially as he believed he already knew who it was.

                                             -----------------------------------

To attempt to describe the calmness with which Mitsuki endured her restlessness in the weeks following Wakaoji's discovery of Takuto would be rather difficult.  She spent her time at play with her friends, immersing herself in her schoolwork, volunteering at an elementary school nearby, and generally expending so much energy each day that she barely had time to write and vocalize no less than fifteen songs before collapsing into slumber.

 "Wakaoji-sensei, it's been so long, I'm not sure I even want to see him," she said quietly as they entered his car, "I … I'm scared, Wakaoji-sensei."

 "Takuto," Wakaoji began, "… Takuto is Takuto, Mitsuki.  When you saw him he had just awoken with a completely blank space of two years in his memory, things were rather frightening for him.  I won't say he has changed much, but you know him, possibly better than I do.  I think he's ready now, before, he was just not."

Mitsuki nodded and entered the car, doubt clouding her mind as the car made its way towards Ooshige's house.

                                      ------------------------------------------

Meroko awoke in a strange place, a seeming endless beach much like where she had said farewell to Takuto.  She dimly felt a vibration emanating from the air around her, amidst the calmness present in the scenery of her surroundings.  Eichi was nowhere in sight…

Eichi-kun.

Meroko's ears flopped up, recognition dawning on her so suddenly, and startling her so heavily, that she poofed back into bunny form instantly.

Dusty blonde hair.  Large hazel eyes.  Kind.  Eichi-kun.  Sakura Eichi.

_Waaaaa__,_ cried Meroko to herself, _waaaaaaa_.

A figure appeared in front of her, a darkly cloaked figure whose face could not be seen, and whose voice could only be felt.

…_That is right, Meroko, your partner is Sakura Eichi._

Meroko looked up at the figure with waffles in her eyes, tears not yet flowing but definitely willing.

Recognition once again flooded her being, with a power that knocked her back several feet, as fear nearly gripped and overwhelmed her.  _I thought I left the Shinigami permanently.  Why am I here?_

And voicing the thought caused the dark figure to suddenly disappear, along with the sandy beach, and everything around her, and Meroko found herself back in Eichi's arms on the street where she had been not moments before.

Meroko gasped as she gazed into his soft eyes, wondering to herself if he knew who he was, scared of mentioning anything to him, and worst of all, terribly guilty because of her love for him.

 "What is wrong, little bunny?" he asked her gently, seeming not to have noticed her sudden disappearance and reappearance.

 "He he, oh, um.  Nothing," Meroko lied and instantly regretted doing so, and just as quickly chose to correct herself, "That's not true.  Oh, don't ask me what's wrong," and threw herself, weeping, deeper into his grasp.

Though he was obviously stunned, Eichi held her gently for a while, silently allowing her to overcome whatever was plaguing her.  His call became one of a work assignment, and had he considered the implications, he may have become intensely worried at this fact.

 "Meroko Yui, right?" he said, his voice coursing over her in waves, soothing her slowly and bringing to light the length she had traveled to get where she was now.

 "Yes.  May I ask your name?" she responded quietly, needing to hear him say it, to assure herself that she was correct, but also to be sure that he recalled his own name of his own will.  But most of all, simply, because she had to ask.

 "Sakura Eichi," Eichi replied, and looked puzzled for a moment, as he gently pushed Meroko back the length of his arms, "I haven't thought about that until just now.  Isn't that odd?"

Meroko nodded slightly, a terrified sensation again beginning to overpower her.  She turned to her left, only to see…

                                         ----------------------------------

Out of the corner of her eye, amidst the burden of her heavy heart, Mitsuki saw a feather from a familiar wing gently floating above the ground.  Perhaps it was just in her mind, but the image startled her, and pressing her face to the glass, she kept sight of it as the car rounded a corner…

                                    --------------------------------------------------

Mitsuki.  It was Mitsuki!  Suddenly Meroko's spirit returned, and in spite of holding the same Eichi-kun in her arms, despite seeing and feeling the Shinigami once again, Meroko leapt up, carrying Eichi with her.  Certainly there was a purpose to all of this, even as Shinigami she had been used to ensure Mitsuki's survival. 

Sudden realization of this brought a terrible calmness to Meroko, as she flew higher and higher through the planes.

Eichi clung hazily to her, lost in contemplation of his own identity.  Distantly he asked, "Where are we going, Meroko?"

But Meroko did not answer, for she did not know.  They passed the tallest of skyscrapers in the angelic plane, and shifted above and beyond to a vast whiteness where Meroko could feel the pulse of the world as a steady rhythm in every fiber of her being.  

Eichi evidently became encompassed by the sensation as well, and his attention finally shifted away from inner contemplation to that of the cosmos around them.

Calmly, in the most frightening of places imaginable, Meroko and Eichi sat, and waited.

                                    ----------------------------------------------

_Meroko_, thought Mitsuki gently to herself. _I'm sure of it, but why am I seeing her again?_  

 "Wakaoji-sensei, you didn't notice anything... unusual back there, did you? Just before you turned onto this street?"

 "You mean the dog with the thick black eyebrows?  It seemed to be guarding a pile of masks…" replied Wakaoji.

 "Sensei! No, I didn't even notice… dog?" Mitsuki fumbled, halted, and continued after a minute, "I think I saw Meroko, Wakaoji-sensei."

 "Meroko?  Oh, the little rabbit?  Oh! The little rabbit!" Wakaoji's focus was distracted quite heavily from the road by this, and he suddenly stopped the car.

 "Are you sure, Mitsuki? What could it mean?"

 "I don't know, Wakaoji-sensei, but I'm feeling better now.  Meroko helped Takuto live again, I'm sure of it! Maybe she appeared to give me the courage to see him again," she hesitated, "But it didn't feel like that, I almost felt sad when I saw," again, Mitsuki seemed as if she were not going to continue, "well … it was just a feather floating above the ground..."

Wakaoji would have thought oddly of this had he not seen the two Shinigami himself, and recollection of his initial encounter with Takuto of Negi Ramen halted him from doubting that this feather could mean other Meroko.  Still, uncertain as to how to proceed, Wakaoji only sat and waited for Mitsuki to continue.

 "I think it's ok, now, Wakaoji-sensei," Mitsuki said, and though she now felt relaxed towards her impending meeting with Takuto, a deep sense of foreboding for Meroko's fate caused her to say aloud, "I just hope Meroko is ok." Suddenly she cupped her hands on the window of the small car and shouted, "Meroko, I wish you the best!"

Blinking, it was but a moment before Wakaoji joined in, "Me, too, Meroko! Good luck!" after which the two of them laughed before Wakaoji resumed their course towards Ooshige's.

                                                -------------------------------------

"Good evening," Takuto said hesitantly, bowing as his flushed red cheeks displayed his embarrassment to Mitsuki.

 "Good evening," Mitsuki replied gently, bowing low in kind.

 "So you're Full Moon?" Takuto asked, startling Mitsuki, who turned towards a startled Wakaoji, who was crossing his hands back and forth in front of him rather quickly to indicate, Not me!

 "Eh, well…" Mitsuki fumbled. "No, I mean, yes, but, no."

 "Wakaoji said that he was bringing the girl who would sponsor the operation, and that he was her producer.  Since he told me that he produced for Full Moon, I thought that you must be her. So you are a singer, too?"

 "I was one," said Mitsuki, causing Takuto to glare at Wakaoji, forcing Mitsuki to explain, "I will be one again." _I hope._

 "Can I hear you sing?  Wakaoji says that the treatment is very effective."

Mitsuki's patience was slowly eroding under Takuto's barrage, and as her frustration became apparent to both Takuto and Wakaoji, the sensei interrupted, "Takuto, her throat has not fully recovered yet, it may take about a year for … well, for the cells to fully reform in the affected areas. Your case is actually lighter than Mitsuki's was, and you can hear that she can still speak, right?  Perhaps you two can talk about other things first."

 "No, Wakaoji-sensei, it's ok, I do love singing after all.  Takuto, do you mind if I sing one of your songs?"

 "If you mean Route L's, I only sang them, songs don't belong to any one person.  Although perhaps Aoi could have claimed them."

"My father…"

Stunned, Takuto stared intently at Mitsuki for a while. "You really do look like her.  So you are their daughter, huh?" 

Mitsuki blushed fiercely at the intense scrutiny, which differed harshly from the protective love she had known from Takuto the kitty.  Finally she stammered on the first verse, and began singing.

_ "Kimi wo suki ni natte dorekurai tatsu no kana?_ _Kimochi__ fukurande yuku bakari de.__ Kimi wa, kono omoi kidzuiteiru no kana? Ichido mo kotoba ni wa shitenai kedo…"_

Entranced, Takuto hardly seemed to notice when the song was finished.  Finally he snapped out of his reverie and noticed that they were all still standing in the foyer, causing him to blush fiercely before he fell to his knees, and placed his head on the ground, as he begged Mitsuki apologetically, "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry!"

Startled, Mitsuki turned to Wakaoji, who only shrugged, before he apparently realized the situation, smiled, and walked off into the living room, adding puzzlement to Mitsuki's already shocked state.

 "Eh…" she began, then knelt and put her hand on Takuto's shoulder, to find that he was crying softly to himself.

 "Mituski, Koga Mitsuki," he said, "Do you know, I used to love your parents so much.  They were like my own parents. They replaced my own parents.  Then they were gone, and I just ignored everything." Takuto paused, wiping his eyes with his sleeve, still facing the ground, "When you were born, I was there at the hospital. And I just hated you. There you were, this little girl in your crib, and you had taken everyone away from me. I went up to the window where you were lying, and I was so mad I was frowning and right before I could yell at you, you just looked up at me and smiled. There you were, staring up at this angry little kid, and all you could do was smile, and you even laughed. And I just ran away. It must have been so hard for you, and all I could think about was me. I knew you were in that orphanage, and I just ignored you. I didn't want your pity, your smile. I didn't want to help you at all. All I saw was that I wanted to sing again."

Stunned beyond words, Mitsuki could only listen as Takuto poured his heart out to her.  The pain of thoughts of her parents and their passing had long since become an acceptable ache to her, though it had taken Eichi, and Takuto and Meroko to get her to the point where she could not cry merely at the thought of the two people she had never known.  She gently lifted Takuto's face by the chin, and looked into his eyes.

 "You sing… so… beautifully, Mitsuki-sama," Takuto said between breaths.  "You even sound just like Full Moon," and here he merely gazed into her eyes for a while, her calm passion reflecting his intense sadness.

Staring at her like this very quickly returned to him a heavy feeling of shame, and Takuto stood up, folded his arms, closed his eyes, and turned away from Mitsuki so quickly that she fell to the ground from the sudden loss of support, but not before her eyes widened and a tear formed at her temple as she realized her dilemma.

 "Well, anyway," Takuto coughed formally, "that being said, I guess your operation worked just fine, I'll go tell Wakaoji that I'm ok with it, now."

 "Sensei," replied Mitsuki from the ground, before standing and brushing her skirt off with her hands.

 "Eh?"

"Wakaoji-sensei," she said, "that's his name, now."

Takuto merely made an open-mouthed startled expression before realizing that he was being teased more than corrected, and began to laugh freely and deeply from the sudden release of tension.

 "Sensei.  That's right, he is a sensei now, isn't he!" and the two of them stood laughing, before joining Wakaoji-Sensei in the dining room.


	7. Hopeful Disparity

…**Chapter 7 – Hopeful Disparity**…

Eichi stared at a girl much younger than he, standing on the other side of a huge chasm.  A road wound lazily away behind him, climbing up into distant mountains and beyond.  As he scanned this horizon, two faces which he scarcely recognized suddenly appeared before him, and his will was directed to a black area of deepest pitch.  He felt motion, suddenly, and noticed that he seemed to be moving along the road towards the abyss, unable to stop himself.  The two faces slowly lost their stability as the three of them approached ever more quickly, and Eichi could inwardly feel the battle being lost as he futilely struggled to change their course.  Soon enough the two figures which he no longer recognized faded into the blackness, leaving Eichi alone, bewildered, frightened, and with a harsh sadness that enveloped every fiber of his being.  Suddenly he was alone, back on the chasm's edge, and felt himself reaching for the girl on the other side, an urgency slowly developing in his breast.  She slowly turned her back to him, and he could see that she was scarred heavily, as if rocks had been thrown forcefully at her, leaving pocks the length of her body.  As her back fully met his gaze, she began sinking backwards, her falling evidently taking her frail little body directly into the chasm below.  Eichi screamed voicelessly, a strange and harsh panic building in his mind, as he began watching her fall helplessly from his side of the gulf between them.  A tear began forming in his eyes, followed by a sudden surge of willpower, and ferocity gave him a desperate strength.  His decision made with barely an instant's hesitation, huge wings emerged from his back, and suddenly given the power of flight, he sped to the other side just in time to brace her before she fell.  Holding each others' hands as he gently placed her back on the cliff's edge, she turned her head to gaze into his eyes, and for a brief moment there was recognition in both pairs of orbs, but it was a short-lived instant, as he found his wings fading.  The startled look in her eyes as he fell became an intense, silent shout from the edge as she kneeled over the edge and watched him fall, but Eichi could only notice that his descent had increased, for he could see the two recognizable faces on the rapidly approaching ground below, before he finally …

Awoke.

                                       ----------------------------------

The three sat around the table, talking lightly about Mitsuki's school, Takuto's fruitless search for a band, Wakaoji's overwhelming workload, and else.

 "Wakaoji-sensei, you are Ooshige-san's boyfriend, now?" Mitsuki asked amidst the conversation.

Blushing, Wakaoji almost denied the steady love affair that had been building up between the two, but decided that these two were in many ways more adult than most adults that he knew.  After a moment, he stated, "Yes, Mitsuki, actually we see each other quite often, in spite of our both being so busy," here he laughed, "Most nights we just sit here and watch old movies, and cartoons," noting the expressions on the two's  faces, Wakaoji faltered a moment before continuing, "ah, well, um... that is… we really like, oh…" pausing, "nevermind.  Well, um, yes, Mitsuki," he concluded, his reddened face turned towards the floor.

 "It's ok, Wakaoji-sensei, I know you're still just a little kid," Mitsuki said, smiling cheerfully.

Takuto pitched in, "She's right, you know, I bet you're still working up the courage to ask for a kiss," and he and Mitsuki laughed as they looked at each other, soon joined by Wakaoji.

The conversation silenced suddenly as the three heard footsteps approaching from the stairs, followed by the click of the doorknob as apparently Ooshige-san arrived.

 "Wakaoji-sensei," she called, "I picked up a great anime by Arina Tanemura today, we can watch it toni… Ahhh!!" she cried, upon entering the room, "Mitsuki! I didn't know you were here," and spotting Takuto, she pointed carelessly rudely, her eyes wide and mouth gaping, "ahhhh! And Takuto! Ahh, oh no, what are you two doing here!"

Wakaoji talked over Ooshige, as she continued, "Ooshige, I told them that we watch anime together, it's ok, already, come have a seat with us," "Oh, I mean, I rented a movie for myself, an adult movie with lots of adult themes and things and romance and what children wouldn't watch, because I'm a lone adult living by myself and watching what I should be watching, which is romance and drama, and…" at this point it seems Wakaoji's words sunk in, for Ooshige's shoulders slumped and she meekly slid in to sit across from Wakaoji at the table.

 "So you know that we sit alone here and drink tea," she began, Wakaoji coughing and attempting to interrupt with, "Ooshige" before she finished the sentence.

 "while sitting next to each other watching movies," she continued, scarcely noticing Mitsuki and Takuto's widening eyes and Wakaoji's second, more forceful, "Ooshige-san…" … "and of course that we cuddle."

 "And that we sometimes even kiss," she finished, causing all three of the others to blush, even though her 'kiss' was slightly drowned out by Wakaoji coughing hastily and saying very loudly, "OOSHIGE-CHAN!"

 "Ahhh, my life is on display for everyone, and I'm not even the star, but I have to answer for them and take all of the calls.  No, Full Moon isn't around, no, I don't know where she is, even though she's sitting right next to me, but…" placing her head on her arm and sobbing tearlessly and not all that miserably, Ooshige was yet still oblivious to the effect of her words on those around her, until she lifted her head to continue, "but Mitsuki-chan, you'll sing again one day, even if Takuto can't change you back. When you're sixteen we'll dye your hair blonde, right, all you have to do is…" finally she noticed the shock on Takuto and Mitsuki's faces, and Wakaoji's defeated look as he supported his face in the palm of his hand, "eat right… and… um, exercise, nee?"

Looking at each of them in turn, Ooshige tried to get someone to speak, "Right, Mitsuki? … Right, Takuto? … Takuto is here, right. You tried…" she paused, "waaaa, why don't I know what's going on?" and then she began crying in earnest.

 "Takuto can't remember anything from then, Ooshige-san. We still haven't had a chance to tell him."

 "We have not talked about it, because of me, right?" asked Takuto, "well, perhaps it is time I heard.  What do all of you seem to know about me that I don't?" his demeanor had become quite defensive, posture erect with arms crossed. Takuto's stare was harsh compared to the ease with which he had sat only minutes ago, and seeing the tension in everyone's expressions, especially the cheerful girl's downcast face, Takuto forced himself to relax slightly as he said, "I'll sit and listen to everything this time, and won't get angry."

 "Takuto," said Mitsuki gently, but said nothing further.

 "Maybe I should tell him, since I brought it up," offered Ooshige, though it was evidently not her desire, "even though I don't understand what is going on now…"

A few moments passed before Wakaoji stepped in, "No, I should be the one, from his perspective I'm the one he knows best, after all."

And yet, Wakaoji said nothing, seemingly at a loss for how to begin.

 "Gah," exclaimed Takuto impatiently, "any of you!  Just tell me where I've been these past two years!" again forcing himself to calm down a bit, he pleaded, "Please…"

 "Takuto," began Mitsuki, gently, softly, "about a year and a half ago, you appeared from a poster above my bed…"

                                         ---------------------------------------

Eichi was slowly disappearing before her eyes, frighteningly reminiscent of Takuto's transformation into a ghost.  Meroko watched helplessly as he lay in her arms unconscious, crying violently as she clutched him tightly to her.

 "No, please no, not again, not again, please," she said softly to the nothingness around her, her face staring at Eichi's, "Please, stop, please."

Suddenly, Eichi's eyes popped open and his form stabilized, though an odd look of peaceful horror on his face scarcely hinted at whatever he had just experienced.  His arms were reaching out to the air, and in that moment Meroko once again felt the presence of a Shinigami nearby, this time a dull and far away sensation, a sharp contrast to the excruciating pain from before.  Soon she realized just where the feeling was coming from, and called out, "Why?  Why is he changing into a Shinigami! Someone help him, please!"

The dark figure suddenly coalesced from the emptiness surrounding her, pulsing waves of intensity washing over Meroko.  It seemed that the figure shimmered before her eyes, seemingly the female form now, then back to the dark one.

 "He had regrets when he died," came a voice from within, both female and male, "It was only his complete willingness to sacrifice himself for another that prevented him from joining us sooner.  Would you sacrifice yourself to save this boy, as well?  You will return to being a Shinigami, and have to endure the pain of taking lives with your new," the voice halted for a moment, "compassion."

Meroko instantly took up the defensive and nearly shouted her acceptance, but something deep in her heart, a maturity she had never felt before, silenced her.  She gazed down at Eichi's quivering face for a time, before finally asking, "What would happen to him?"

 "He will continue to live in this realm, that is all."

 "Please, what do I need to understand?" Meroko asked forcefully, calmly, quietly.

Suddenly the air shimmered, and Meroko found herself alone, an emptiness surrounding and encompassing her so heavily that she shook as if from the chillest of colds.

Nearly crying, Meroko sat down on her knees, delicately flapping her wings behind her, somehow finding solace in the gentle motion. The air was still and unmoving, however, and she felt as if she were truly in the very essence of void.

Determined, suddenly, she looked up to find that she was gazing at a glowing path.  Two paths, three, six, a hundred, and then her vision was filled with a glow, as all the paths merged into a solid single one.

Oddly, she felt calm in a way that might have frightened her moments ago.  With barely a second's hesitation, she stepped forward, and so doing, found herself walking along the single path which had first appeared.

                                        -------------------------------------------

Takuto had sat rather stonily through the entire tale.  Since Mitsuki had finished, not a single part of his body had moved an inch, even his eyes seemed fixed in place, and to the others it seemed that he may have stopped breathing.

Ooshige carefully waved her hand in front of Takuto's face, as if he were a stray that might bite her.  The lack of reaction gave her a bit of courage and desperation, and she called his name as she waved her arms wildly in front of him.  When he continued in his repose, Ooshige slumped back in her chair, her arms at her sides, and heaved a deep sigh.

Mitsuki merely looked down at the table, Wakaoji gazed at Takuto for a while, holding his own breath amidst glances of concern.

Still, Takuto just sat there.

 "We, um, don't know how you got back here, though.  Mitsuki says she was led to you by Meroko, but why you are alive is something we just don't know," offered Wakaoji.

Still, Takuto just sat there.

Finally, the intense silence became too much to bear, and Ooshige glanced at her clock and exclaimed, "Oh no, I need to get to sleep, everyone, you're going to have to…" noticing Takuto's unchanged posture, Ooshige halted and quieted on the last words, "go home, please, because I need to meet with Sakura tomorrow, and answer the telephone over and over explaining that Full Moon can't be back because the Shinigami became human and lost his powers and can't transform the little girl anymore, but maybe the little red bunny will appear…"

 "So you two adults believe this as well," said Takuto, suddenly, interrupting a startled Ooshige, "I mean, Wakaoji, you are a doctor, this lady seems rather flighty, and you, Mitsuki.  You, I was dead and changed you into some fancy pop idol who has now disappeared, we became lovers, and this is where I was for at least this last year."

 "Everything is true, Takuto.  Ooshige and I met you ourselves, we saw you change her, we saw… well, from episode 19, at least."

 "So, suddenly I'm alive again, and you want me to snap my fingers and make Full Moon again, is that why I'm here? Or do you really think that I love you, and do you really love me, eh?" Takuto noticed that he was seriously affecting Mitsuki with his words, but continued despite, "No, it's to heal me and make me better because you three are the kindest people in the world!"  Takuto paused a moment, standing up as he placed his hands on the table, "And this bunny death angel helped you find me, you think she even brought me back to life! Maybe we can find her and she can tell us what happened," forgetting himself, Takuto began shouting, "Meroko! Meroko! Where are you, huh?!"  A surge of pain washed over his throat, and after a severe coughing fit, Takuto slumped over the table unconscious, clutching his cancer-ridden throat in pain.

                                             ---------------------------------------

Meroko again found herself face to face with the lady.  Understanding, this time, she looked with determination at the figure before her.  The scene between Takuto and Mitsuki had been a severe lesson in the consequences of her actions, and yet here she was, the only one of the three to defend them, the last of the three to have decided to fight against fate.

 "You know why you are here, Meroko."

 "Yes.  I intend to help him."

 "Do you understand the cost?"

 "No, how could I?"

The lady smiled, and continued, subtly shifting her tone as if she were speaking to a peer.

 "Simply, Eichi will have to overcome the force of his recovered memories himself.  If he fails, he will become a Shinigami."

 "But why did you make him remember? What did you let him remember?"

The scenery vanished, and Meroko was again confronted with the dizzying array of glowing paths.  The lady pointed to one of them.

 "That is a choice.  He simply chose.  Your relationship was what made him remember, nothing else."

 "Then why did I meet him, why did things happen like this?"

 "You ask the right questions, Meroko.  And yet you sound like such a child.  Perhaps little Eniki could answer your question for you, I cannot."

Meroko gaped wide-eyed with incomprehension, as she was suddenly brought back to Eichi's side.  He seemed somewhat recovered now, though when he stood it was weakly, and lacked the spirit which he had shown in the short time of their acquaintance.

 "I could see a girl, Meroko.  And I had to save her," he said, not looking up at her.

 "You did, Eichi-kun," Meroko fumbled, still lost in the grip of her own thoughts.

Eichi only continued staring at the ground between his legs, tears welling up in his eyes.

 (these guys sure are sissies, huh?)

 "I wonder who she was, but I'm glad, for some reason."

Meroko again allowed herself to be merely a comfort for another, as she struggled to make sense of her own mixed emotions in the oddly familiar circumstance.  In spite of her confusion, she managed to exude the gentle compassion which she had only just begun to awaken within herself.  Eichi seemed to find solace in her arms, at least, and fell into something of a sleep, and again suddenly the two of them were back on the streets of Japan, very near to Mitsuki and the others.  The powerful urge of job assignment slowly faded from her being, signaling to her that Eichi would be ok, for now.  Meroko heaved a deep sigh of relief, though it became quickly tainted by her own quiet tears as she buried her face in Eichi's shoulder.

                                      ----------------------------------------------

Slowly opening his eyes, Takuto's gaze was overshadowed by the worried eyes of Mitsuki.

Gently, he spoke as he looked at her, "Mitsuki."

 "Shh, Takuto, you hurt your throat, just rest for a bit," she told him, eyes cast down and away from the bed.

 "No, there is something I need to say," he rasped through the pain, "It's not that I don't believe you.  That is why I am so troubled.  I died, Mitsuki," at this, Takuto turned his gaze towards the window, and fought back tears as he tried to hide his shame from the girl who was now staring at him intensely, "I mean, I don't remember it, but I was dead.  And then, you say that I did something …"

 "Wonderful, Takuto, everything you did, you helped me, protected me."

 "Bah, let me finish!" Takuto said irelessly, "I just want you to know that I'm sorry.  This must hurt you so much, to see me like this, but I don't remember you at all, and I promise, I have tried, and tried.  I feel as though I should, especially when I heard you sing, I felt it so strongly, but my memory must have really been erased that last time, with .. with.." he paused, trying to remember the entire story, "was it a flower?  I ate a flower. Heh, it sounds so ridiculous, and yet for some reason my heart tells me that it is true," Takuto finally fell silent, the tears in his eyes gently flowing down the side of his face which was turned to the moonlight, glowing as it ran down its path.

 "Takuto," said Mitsuki softly, and rested her head gently on his chest, her left hand allowing itself to be clutched by his left hand.

                                                    --------------------------------------

Takuto joined Mitsuki to her final school dance, both of them enduring the hounding of countless questions and quiet stares, as well as the persistent teasing of Mitsuki's closest friends.

 "So this is what you've been hiding from us, it's not fair, he's so cute!" said Tomoe while Takuto was away getting them juice.

 "He's a singer?  What band was he in?" asked Wakana.

 "Route L, the same band as my parents," replied Mitsuki.

 "Ohhh," chimed the three friends.

 "So he knew you when you were little!" said Kumi.

 "I think so," Mitsuki blushed, as Takuto returned.

 "So what was she like!" the three assaulted Takuto.  "You knew her as a little girl, right?" "Mitsuki, well, what was she like!"  "What about her parents, what were they like?"

 "Heh?!" he exclaimed, and skillfully dodged the questions by handing them all more little drink glasses than he could have possibly carried, and diverted their attention by pointing out a pair of glowing eyes in the corner, "what's that?"

 "Wakana, I think Saoho wants to dance with you, he's been staring at you all night long," said Tomoe, causing Mitsuki and Kumi to smile, and Wakana to blush, for the boy's gaze had indeed been plastered to her the entire evening.

 "I promised him that I would dance with him once we were here," said Wakana, though it was evident from the light flush in her cheeks that she really wanted to go.  She quickly headed in Saoho's direction without a second glance back at the group.

Soon it was Kumi's turn, as one of the upperclassmen who had attended asked her for a dance, and though it was not Rei-senpai, she gladly accepted.

Tomoe, Mitsuki, and Takuto talked for about five minutes before the last of the trio was swept away, by none other than the principal of the school. Afterwards, she was approached by various others, leaving Mitsuki and Takuto alone.

"Wakaoji tells me that you are writing songs, Mitsuki.  Do you think that I can change you into… her, still?" he asked, leaning over and whispering directly into Mitsuki's ear.

"Haven't you already tried, Takuto?"

Takuto blushed, "Well… yes," for he had tried quite a number of times, snapping his fingers when he thought she hadn't been noticing.

"Well, maybe if I'm trying too, it will work.  Let's give it a shot!"

"What, right now?"

"Yes! Come on!" she said, and led him out of the main hall into one of the nearby classrooms.

"Ok…" said Takuto, and bracing himself, turned to Mitsuki.

"Are you ready?"

"Yes!"

Takuto snapped his fingers, and sure enough, there was a poof! and a cloud of dust swirled in the air as Takuto and Mitsuki jumped back in surprise, knocking over a stack of erasers due to the sudden opening of the door.

"Mitsuki! I saw you and your friend go off alone, and I will not allow this perverted action while I am on duty!" said the chaperone to them.

"Oh, it's not like that!" began Mitsuki, but seeing the situation from the teacher's perspective, flushed and let herself be led back to the main hall, "I'm sorry."

"Oh, Takuto, we can try again later," she began, once they were back in the main hall, only to find Takuto laughing.

"What's so funny?" Mitsuki asked, oblivious to their appearance, "Takuto!"

Through his fit of laughter, Takuto said, "Look at yourself, Mitsuki!" and looking at himself, stated, "Or just look at me!"

Finally, Mitsuki noticed that the two of them were covered in chalk dust, giving them a rather ghostlike appearance.  It seemed that she had been the last one in the entire hall to notice, as everyone else had already been staring at them since their return.

Mitsuki and Takuto stood in the corner of the room talking, fending off the occasional question by Wakana, Kumi, and Tomoe as they and their partners passed by.  Finally, Mitsuki said gloomily, "This is my last week in middle school."

"Bah, well junior high is not so different."

"Yes it is!  I hear that you have to read a book a week!  And, some of our friends are moving to another school.  And," she added with slight humor, "it's not called middle school anymore."

Takuto laughed, but could tell that Mitsuki was still feeling down about her eminent leave of youth.  He tried telling her several jokes to cheer her up, but her whitened face still kept its faraway look.  "Wait here," he said suddenly, and walked off, leaving Mitsuki alone in the corner.

_Ahhh, look at everyone having fun,_ Mitsuki thought to herself as she glanced around the room, _I guess I just need to relax and enjoy myself. Sure, there are reasons to be sad, but… I should be having a good time, too!_

Takuto returned, carrying two glasses of water and some napkins.  Mitsuki looked at him puzzled as he dipped the napkins in the water and handed her one, before using the other to wipe his face.  Catching on, she proceeded to do the same.

"Ah, we could have just gone to the bathroom!" she said.

"I don't think guardian-sensei would let us, at this point," Takuto said, his head rotating all the way around to look at the door, and making eye contact with the teacher, who was still glaring at the two.

Exclamation points of surprise floated above his head, and he turned back to Mitsuki, heaving a bubble-shaped sigh, "See?"

Mitsuki only laughed as she noticed the interaction and said, "Well, then thank you, Takuto!"

"Now!" exclaimed Takuto, and grabbed Mitsuki by the arm before she had even set down the water cup.

"Wh-wh-wh-what?!" she cried, though not loudly enough for others to hear.

"Let's dance! It's time we started having fun!"

_So you think just like me, eh.  I guess you really are the same Takuto that I knew_, thought Mitsuki to herself, and she enveloped herself in his arms to the beat of the slow song that was currently playing.

"Takuto, this reminds me of a time when I was really sick, and you changed me into Full Moon to save me," Mitsuki spoke into Takuto's body, her eyes closed as the two moved on the dance floor, "You were so gentle, carrying me in your arms that time."

The compliment returned seriousness to Takuto's demeanor as he glanced down at Mitsuki as she snuggled into his breast.  When the song ended, she noticed his slight disquiet, and said, "You know, back then I still loved Eichi-kun, and you were just the Shinigami who would one day take me away.  And yet, you were always helping me out, and became my best friend.  Takuto, somehow I'm going to sing again, and I want you to be there with me."

Takuto opened his mouth to speak, but Mitsuki gently placed her index finger over his mouth, "First, I need to change into a sixteen year old, so you have a lot of time to think about it."

Takuto looked at her compassionately, and nodded slightly.  The music's beat picked up considerably, and Mitsuki and Takuto soon found themselves dancing much more energetically than before, causing them to leave their thoughts behind.  It was easy to enjoy the rest of their evening in each others' company, and their friends joined them in their merriment as the night slowly wore to a close.


	8. Divergent Convergence

**Chapter 8 – Divergent Convergence**

Eichi spoke quietly as he and Meroko glided through the alleys of the heavens.

"I remember her eyes, Meroko.  I can almost see them as they sparkled in the moonlight," Eichi said, sorrow clouding his own eyes as he turned to Meroko, "why is this happening all of a sudden?"

Meroko found herself unable to speak, and only looked forward into the whiteness as they drifted along.  Eichi's distress was a powerful force, however, and she suddenly ground to a halt and floated down to one of the outside tables at a noodle shop below, gently dragging Eichi with her.

"Eichi, you may…" Meroko faced him as the two sat down, "become a Shinigami if you continue to remember."

"Shinigami," was all he said, pensively.

"I think," she continued, "that you can remember and remain an angel, though, Eichi.  I think that I may be here to help you do that."

Eichi looked at her, a calm gaze that seemed to say what she felt in her heart.  He did not speak for a time, but was the one to break their silence, leaning forward on his elbows as he said, "I knew when I met you that there was something about you.  Ever since I have been in this realm I have had dreams of elsewhere.  When you showed up, a calmness has filled my heart, I have not had those visions since." 

"Would you like to remember, then, Eichi?"

"You were a Shinigami before?"

"Yes," she said.

"What is it like in the lower realm?"

Meroko did her best to describe the hazier realm of the underworld, as her eyes gazed up at the towers above, "It's darker than it is here, and the colors are all brown and grey.  There are no towers, either, all of the buildings are on or underground. And there are a lot less people, but everyone is always running around and it feels so crowded.  Here, it's so calm everywhere I go, even though there are so many of us..."

"I used to see that," Eichi stated, "I think I've even been there before."

Somehow Meroko found that she knew this, and turned to Eichi with a sincere expression on her face, "You don't want to live there!" she blushed lightly and looked down, "I mean, it's not all bad, but…"

Eichi laughed softly, "I'm sure the angelic plane is much better."  
Meroko nodded.

"But I can't just stop thinking about her," Eichi said, drifting off into memory.

Meroko gazed at him, "Then, we just have to figure out how to keep you here!"

"Meroko…"

"We'll find a way; I just know we can!"

The two sat for a while, Eichi looking at and past Meroko, before he finally asked, "What is her name? I feel like I can almost remember… every time I try, the image of the moon appears in my mind. Is it Tsuki-chan?"

Meroko smiled, "Mitsuki.  Kouyama Mitsuki."

Eichi's eyes slowly widened as he repeated the name, "Mitsuki."

"She had cancer, but this last year, I was assigned to take her life… but, I think we were sent to save her instead!" Meroko balled her fists and pounded them on the table as she shared her revelation with Eichi, only to find the boy too far gone in his own thoughts.

"Eichi," she said, concern in her voice, "Eichi, you can't think of her with regret," but her words did not seem to reach him.

Meroko slapped Eichi forcefully on his left cheek, snapping him back to her in an instant, shock and pain evident on his face.

"Eichi, you have to think of the good things that happened with her.  You can't think of her regretfully!  Think of all the good that…" suddenly, connections formed in Meroko's mind, and her eyes widened.  As she became lost in her thoughts, she barely whispered the last words, "… you did."

Eichi rubbed the side of his face where Meroko had hit him, and as he followed her train of thought, comprehension dawned in his eyes.

"You're right!" he exclaimed, "I saved her, and," he paused for a moment, "I loved her, Meroko, I still do, I can feel it so strongly inside!"

"That's… right," Meroko responded from far away, thoughts drifting off onto the unknown path that now lay before her.

"Meroko?" Eichi stared intently at Meroko, causing her to suddenly realize her distance.  He smiled gently at her as he caressed her cheek, "what are you thinking? Perhaps we can solve this puzzle together."

"I…" Meroko began, paused, and set her jaw firmly before she continued, having made up her mind, "I think that you gave your life for her, Eichi!"

Eichi only smiled as he nodded slightly, a sad look in his eyes.  Meroko looked into them as she continued, "But you weren't the only one, Eichi.  I think that the girl has had other protectors, too.  I think if we can find out who, maybe we can save you."

Eichi sat back pensively as he considered what Meroko said.

A while passed before he finally stood up suddenly and exclaimed, "Aha!"

"What? You thought of someone?" Meroko responded, rising from the table eagerly.

"I think…" he began.

"Yes?"

"I think I'm going to get something for us to eat, it might help calm our nerves."

"Aaaaah!" Meroko exclaimed as she fell on the floor, legs dangling in the air.  

Righting herself again, she sighed, "I think you're right," then suddenly began laughing.

"What's so funny?"  
Meroko only kept laughing, and Eichi smiled as he walked into the shop to place an order.

                                                                        -----------------------------------------------------------------

"It's all wrong!" complained Mitsuki despairingly to the mirror.

Takuto held his composure in the lounge chair, though it was evident that he was struggling to hold in his laughter.

She sighed, her shoulders slumping, "Oh go ahead and laugh, I know how funny I look."

Takuto smiled slightly, before rising from his chair and walking over to tousle Mitsuki's limp hair ever so slightly and whisper in her ear, "You really look beautiful," he said, causing Mitsuki's now wide eyes to widen further as she blushed.

"Takuto… but it just doesn't look like Full Moon," she said softly under his gaze, her blondely stained hair plastered to her head from the damp dye.

"Well, then, we'll have to find a better one!" he exclaimed, "I'm sure Ooshige-san can help us, no?"

"I heard that!" came Ooshige's voice from somewhere...

Takuto looked around for the voice, startled, and responded to the walls, "I… meant that you work with people who dye their hair, Ooshige!"

"In any case," he continued, "it won't do us any good to worry about it now.  You still look too young."

"I know, but I thought that maybe we could start practicing.  After all, I'm going to be 16 in a little more than one year! And…" she trailed off.

"I know, I know, you promised.  Sheesh, it's almost all you talk about," Takuto said, causing Mitsuki to blush again as she looked away.

"It's not just that, Takuto, I really want to sing, I haven't now, in… so… long."

Takuto sighed, "You sing almost every day.  Remember…" he placed his right hand underneath his chin as he considered carefully, "…yesterday? When we came to Ooshige-san's house and practiced for three hours?"

Mitsuki looked earnestly into Takuto's eyes, "Takuto! It's not the same, and you know it!  I want to share the music, not just sing here…"

"Bah! Wakaoji-sensei and Ooshige-san sure seem to enjoy listening to us.  Are they not good enough?"

"Well, I didn't mean…"

"And I am sure enjoying myself, at least, but if you're not…"

"Takuto! You know that I…"

"And, besides…"

"Gah! Why won't you let me finish!"

"What, finish complaining? I was going to tell you something exciting, but I think I won't, if you need to finish your sentence."  

Takuto was obviously teasing Mitsuki, and catching on, she pouted for a moment before turning away, frustrated, "It's not like all I do is complain, but I …" she stopped and sighed, "well, it's just that…"

"I know, Mitsuki," Takuto said softly, and wrapped her in his arms from behind, "I know how much you want to share your songs with everyone."

Mitsuki allowed herself to fall gently back into his embrace, though the caress was short-lived as he concluded his assault, "Everyone knows, because you go on and on about it all day long, Wakaoji-sensei knows, and Ooshige-san, I think even Madoka-san has caught on, and your grandmother…"

Mitsuki pushed him away as she turned and pounded her fists on him, but Takuto was simply laughing first at her, then with her as she realized the truth behind his jest.

"I just really…"

"…want to sing, we know, we know!" Takuto laughed, finishing off her sentence.  "Now let's wash that out of your hair, it really does look terrible."

"Takuto! But you said…"

"Bah, you'd look beautiful no matter how awful your hair looks."

Mitsuki slapped him gently on the shoulder and turned to the large sink.  Running the faucet for a short time, she watched as the blonde coloring flowed from her hair into the sink, swirling as it flowed gently down the pipes.  Her hair slowly returned it to its natural brunette, though it still hung at her sides limply as the water dripped through.  

Takuto watched her transformation with interest, and said, "You know, I think the biggest problem is that you always look the same."

"What do you mean?" Mitsuki asked.

Takuto continued, "You always tell me that when you transformed into Full Moon it felt as though you became someone else.  I guess it's because your whole body changed.  Now all that is different is your hair, and even that is not so different.  Maybe you need to do something besides just dyeing your hair, to feel more like Full Moon again, Mitsuki."

Mitsuki considered his words carefully before she responded, "Then what can I do?"

"I don't really know, but I think we'll figure something out soon enough."

Mitsuki smiled, "You're probably right! Maybe I just need to calm down, and concentrate."

"Well, let's get going, or your grandmother might begin to suspect what we are doing every day…"

"Oh, I'm sure she knows already, Takuto."

"Eh? You never told me that."

Mitsuki smiled as she nodded, "Well, if she wants to talk about it, she will. But if she doesn't, it's ok, no?  Although I guess she'll find out one day…" the last was almost a question.

"Hmm… we haven't really talked about that much yet, huh."

"I think about it all the time, Takuto, but what are we going to do? Full Moon is supposed to be twenty in a year, when everyone sees that she's still sixteen…"

"It worries you a lot, huh?"

"Yes…"

Takuto only nodded.

"I don't know what I can say.  How do I explain that I haven't aged in four years?"

Takuto laughed as he considered this.

"Takuto! This is serious!"

"I know it is, but when you think about it like that, it really is funny, no? I mean, think of this," Takuto placed his hands together forming a little square with his fingers, and looked through it as if taking a photograph, "Here she is after four years, returned to the stage, it's Full Moon!  And there you'll be, Mitsuki the sixteen-year old, with your wet blonde hair.  Perhaps we can tell everyone that you drank from the fountain of youth, or learned magic…"

Takuto sighed as he placed his arms back down, "I guess it isn't that funny…"

Mitsuki, however, was giggling, "It is, a bit, Takuto.  Well, we do have at least a year to think about it, I hope we can think of something."

"I'm sure we will, Mitsuki!" 

Mitsuki smiled, her cheer returning in the warmth of his sincerity, and after some time, responded, "You know, Takuto, I think I have an idea!" 


	9. The Bridge

…**Chapter 9 –The Bridge, a brief interlude, yet the longest**…

The months passed, and it became time for Mitsuki to enter junior high.  Takuto enrolled in the local high school, as he had never received his diploma due to the intensity of his singing career and the cancer which had quashed his final thoughts of school. He was allowed to enter as a first year in senior high school, he had fortunately kept up enough with studies during his free time, and until their deaths, had been tutored by the Kouyamas as well as Wakaoji. His being so much older was fortunately not so noticeable and did not present an issue, as Takuto held on to a very youthful appearance, and most of his classmates just assumed he was their same age. Thus, Takuto found himself able to be near Mitsuki during two of her final school years, though the surgery and else cost them much time away.

The surgery itself went exceptionally well.  Wakaoji and a team of doctors excised Takuto's tumor with no complications at the end of exams in February.  Takuto's voice was left intact, and he found himself singing strongly again in but a few short weeks, much to Mitsuki's delight as he was finally able to sing with her in their spare time.  Her own voice had recovered completely as well, though she was dismayed to find that it was still weaker than when she had been Full Moon.

"Your body was that of a sixteen year old, Mitsuki, your vocal chords just need a bit more time," explained Wakaoji-sensei.

"I know, but I want to begin singing again!" was her reply, after which Mitsuki finally showed him the songbook which had grown laden with poetry over the course of the year.  Inside its pages were now hundreds of drafts, and beginning from the book's final page were thirty-five completed songs.

"I even have tunes for them all," she told him eagerly, being true as she had originally sung them first, anyway.

Wakaoji looked the book over carefully over the course of a week, whistling as he finally reached the back cover.

"I see about five in here that we can start recording the music for immediately, Mitsuki.  If it is ok, I'll bring the book to a recording studio tomorrow."

"Can you just make copies, Wakaoji-sensei?" asked Mitsuki.

The answer was of course yes, and soon after their conversation her music was off to the studio to begin the process of forming them into hit singles.  Surprised that only five were acceptable, Mitsuki asked, "But what about the other ones?"

"Well, let's go over them," Wakaoji said, setting his tea carefully away from the notes, "These ten are too repetitive, Mitsuki.  If you look at the chords carefully, you use the same phrases too often in the songs.  These few here are somewhat discordant, and though I know you meant to…" he continued, slowly proceeding through each line.

Mitsuki listened with rapt attention.  From that time forward, she paid much more attention to form and structure after her heart had poured forth the tunes inside.  And surprisingly, she found that knowledge blended well with intuition.  

Takuto told her upon her sharing her revelation, "Of course! Did you think that musicians always just follow their heart to come up with music? Sheesh..." earning him a well deserved pulled down lower eyelid and stuck out tongue…phhbt.

Their relationship developed quite well, as well.  Takuto found her refreshing, easy to speak with, kind, and as each day passed grew fonder of her. Mitsuki finally began seeing Takuto's fiery passion and gentle side more often than his surly one, and found her own feelings growing more intense as the days passed.  The two became one of the more talked about couples at school, as even the simple manner in which they passed each other in the hallways underscored their feelings towards one another, though with a calmness that many admired.

"Mitsuki and Takuto are the perfect couple," Wakana said out of the blue one day, sighing heavily, "I wonder if I could ever be such a good bride."

Mitsuki blushed at these words, though her other friends just nodded dreamily to back up Wakana.

"Um… what about Saoho, you two seem to be getting along well?"  
"Yeah, but he's not as passionate as Takuto, and I'm just so shy all the time… it's like all we do is study for exams together…"

"And I can't just look into Kouji's eyes and smile like you do, I still feel so shy around him," said Ayu, one of Mitsuki's friends in the new school.

Mitsuki looked at them for a short time, and finally smiled, "As long as you love, it will be ok.  Every relationship will be different, and develop in its own way.  You are all happy, and that is what's important!"

"Oooooh!" said one, "Wow! That's true!" said another, "Mitsuki, you really are so wise!" said yet another.

Mitsuki had indeed matured considerably, and found her popularity at school uncomfortably high although not necessarily negative.  She just didn't think of herself as so special, although the girls who sometimes approached her for advice out of the blue spoke so highly of her after finally getting a chance to speak with the great, wise, beautiful Mitsuki.  Indeed, she had become something of an idol at their new school, even the older students seemed in awe of her as she walked down the halls, almost always smiling, laughing, or in deep contemplation of something, and of course, in the most serious and wonderful romance that any of them could wish for.

Her grades were good as well, as she really did try hard.  Every day she returned home and proceeded to her schoolwork.  Afterwards, to her surprise, she found herself speaking with her grandmother about serious topics, and on a much different level than ever before.  They even occasionally discussed Mitsuki's mother, though her grandmother always had a sad look when she spoke about her own daughter.  The guilt slowly eased under Mitsuki's gentle inquiries, though, and the evening of her parents' memorial, Mitsuki returned home to find her grandmother crying softly to herself in the living room.

"Mitsuki, could you please come and have a seat?"

"Yes, grandmother, is something wrong?"

"Of course, dear, or I wouldn't be crying," she smiled. Before Mitsuki could interrupt, she continued, "Mitsuki, I just wanted to tell you how happy I am with you.  You really are a wonderful granddaughter, and your mother… and father… raised a fine fine daughter.  Thank you for being here with me, Mitsuki."

"Grandmother!" Mitsuki exclaimed, and after a few seconds of staring like a doe at her grandmother, bowed down and pressed her head to the ground, "You took me in, and it was so hard for you.  I honestly, truly, thank you, grandmother, all of my happiness is possible because of you."

Her grandmother simply remained kneeling, smiling, tears gently rolling down her cheeks, and finally leaned over to hug Mitsuki in her awkward position.  Feeling her grandmother on top of her, Mitsuki was too startled to move, but soon the gentle pressure lifted.

"That is all, Mitsuki, I am sure you have things to do.  Thank you."

The days continued regularly, and Mitsuki came to realize just how lonely her grandmother had been for all those years.  Now, she was able to attempt the role of a mother again, becoming the willing host for the frequent play times with her three best school friends, the rare visits by Madoka, after some time, Wakaoji and Ooshige's occasional visits, and after quite some time, even Takuto.

Her grandmother was indeed a shrewd woman, and had one day told Wakaoji-sensei, "Isn't it time you two stopped playing around, Wakaoji-sensei.  You are my granddaughter's guardian, after all, and it is sets a bad example for you to practically be living with an unmarried woman."

Wakaoji had been stunned at the inference, and though there was a slightly teasing tone to her words and smile, she meant what she said.

"Perhaps in two years, ma'am," he had replied, "both Ooshige and I are very busy right now, it would just be too difficult for the both of us to get married."

"I understand that you are busy.  Mitsuki will be 16 then, I suppose that will do," hinting at a previous conversation regarding Takuto.  

When her grandmother had first learned that Mitsuki was dating, she had actually gone so far as to ground Mitsuki for a week.  "I do NOT approve of a 14 year old in such a serious relationship, as long as you live here, this is absolutely unacceptable!" she had exclaimed forcefully.  But then she had had the open-mindedness to at least meet Takuto, who had approached her with such formality, grace, and caring for Mitsuki that her grandmother had instantly approved, though an entire month passed before she 'allowed' Mitsuki to go on an escorted date.  At that time, Wakaoji had convinced her to let them be together as long as he was a chaperone, until Mitsuki turned 16 and she could go alone.

Said age loomed nearer, as Mitsuki's 15th birthday passed.

_Less than a year now_, she thought constantly, though song production was already well underway.  She and Takuto finally went to the studio a month after her birthday.  If any of the staff had trouble accepting the girl with the dyed hair as Full Moon, they said nothing, and any doubts were put to rest once her voice coursed through the speakers.  Wakaoji and Ooshige had arranged for as few people as possible to know the whereabouts of the now private recording studio, and to meet with the revived Full Moon herself.  Much more difficult on the pair was the soon well-known fact that Takuto Kira was accompanying Full Moon on vocals.  Though excluded from any fame on the labels, his voice was rather easy to recognize, and rumors began flying around the city, including their school.

It seemed a miracle that no reporters discovered the truth, considering how many they saw in the first two weeks following the release of their first album.  The day of release, Takuto walked out of Wakaoji's front door to find literally hundreds of press associates snooping on the front yard.  This continued for almost a week and a half, but fortunately the barrage faded quickly, as Takuto was too friendly yet dismissive towards them, and Ooshige's carefully crafted strategy worked wonders.  Just as the pressure seemed as if it would intensify, all three of her power stars announced a joint drama together, diverting attention away from the Full Moon saga.  From that point on, Full Moon became a mystery that nobody could solve, and somehow the press left them alone.

Their first album was a success, much like saying that there are several stars in the sky.  It quickly sold out repeatedly for two years straight, despite the fact that the entire CD was made free to download from Full Moon's official website.  Of course, said website became so overloaded that more than a thousand mirrors were made by fans across the globe.  The songs simply spread everywhere, though their very essence did not intrude on people's lives.  

"Full Moon's first return CD is a mixture of pleasant soothing elegance and entrancing rhythmical beats the like of which the world has never heard."  
"This CD represents the pinnacle of human vocal accomplishment!"  
"Oh, I like track number one the best, it's so relaxing."  
"_Kiss of Rain_ is my favorite, I listen to it but can get it out of my head, it's so nice."  
"Full Moon? Of course I've heard of her, she sings my favorite song, you know."  
"Who hasn't heard of Full Moon?"  
"Oh yeah, I think she's singing to me…"  
"Full Moon rocks!"

"Rapping's a grenade, but Full Moon is the bomb!"  
"Yeah, I own the CD, I downloaded the MP3s first, but it's just something I had to own."  
"My friends all couldn't believe that I listened to her at first, but then they overheard it at my house, and now they all own the CD."  
"What's not to like about it, it's the best music ever!"  
"Well, I listen mostly to classical music and opera, and of course Full Moon…"

"What do you think of having a concert when you turn 16, Mitsuki?" asked Wakaoji after one of the longer recording sessions, as the group sat in the lounge chairs outside of the sound room.

"Really, Wakaoji-sensei, will it be ok?"

"We have had luck so far, and I think it would be a great day to keep your promise to everyone."

"You mean, on my birthday?" Mitsuki asked, her eyes glazing over dreamily.

Wakaoji laughed and smiled, "Yes, that's what we were thinking."

Takuto stretched and placed his hands behind his neck, as Wakaoji continued, "Well, actually, it was Takuto's idea," causing Takuto to glare at doctor, "Bah!" was all he said, though he grinned slightly.

Mitsuki cuddled into his breast and answered, "I think it would be wonderful.  Thank you."

"Mitsuki, if it's ok with you, we are going to have three opening acts, each singing three songs. One, of course, will be Wakamatsu Madoka," began Ooshige-san.

"Of course!" said Mitsuki, "Please ask her to sing _Coming Back to Me_, it's one of my favorite songs!  And _Lament_.  Oh, and _Ballad of the Lost_. Hmm, I think she could also…"

"Of course," Ooshige interrupted, smiling, "The other two are Sakura Sato and Anjel." 

"Sakura-chan is incredible! Wow!" said Mitsuki

"And Anjel is one of the best bands in the country," said Takuto, retaining his cool composure, "I hope they don't upstage us," he grinned to Mitsuki.

"I hope we all do well, I know I'll try my best," she said, snuggling further into his breast, as the urge overtook him and he wrapped his arm around her, "I just can't wait to sing to people again."

"We'll be meeting with the musicians in two weeks," said Wakaoji, "I imagine you want to make your own songlist, but here is a suggestion if you need help," and handed her a piece of paper listing most every song she had written in a well thought-out order. 

"Wow! Wakaoji-sensei, how long will this concert be? This would take me," she thought for a moment, "a lot of hours to sing everything!"

"Haha! Well, with how successful your songs have been on the radio, we've been able to get the best hall available, and…" he paused.

"What? What is it?"

"Well, Mitsuki, the mayor wanted to be there, and the governor, and the President, and lots of other people, so they are practically closing the rest of the city… so, well, you have as many hours as you feel like singing."

Mitsuki could only stare, and finally blinked.  When she looked up, she found Takuto in the same happily dazed state, and he turned his eyes to hers.

"That many people, huh?" she asked.

"I think everyone is afraid that this will again be your last concert for a long time again, so nobody wants to miss it," said Ooshige, "when I told Takasu-sensei, he shook his head, laughed, and asked if he could buy five hundred tickets from me as an investment."

The four of them laughed, and continued their mental preparations for the concert.  They talked about the last few months, and shared how eager they all were to have another stage performance.

News of the concert spread so quickly that the next day in school it was impossible not to overhear a conversation about it.  Nobody could figure out how Takuto could maintain his amazing relationship with Mitsuki, and still be preparing to perform in a live concert with Full Moon in but a few short months.  Most had given up on attempting to goad the truth out of the pair.

"Mitsuki, you must know, can't you tell us?" Wakana had asked the next day, as the four sat in Mitsuki's room.

 "Please, Mitsuki," pleaded Tomoe, "We're your best friends, we won't tell anyone," goaded Kumi.

Mitsuki had prepared for this moment.

"You see," she began, the three friends crowding in closer to her, "I am Full Moon."

"Waaaa?!" they all exclaimed together.

"Well, she does sound like Full Moon sometimes," suggested Tomoe after a minute.

"But she doesn't look like Full Moon at all!" noted Kumi.

"And Full Moon is four years older, so it can't be," explained Wakana.

"But she said it so seriously!"

"She sure is looking at us oddly…"

"But Full Moon should be 19!"

"Well, maybe Mitsuki is 19?"  
The three laughed in the little circle they had formed, Mitsuki merely sitting with her forehead teardrop off to the side, watching the conversation.

"No, we've been to her parties for the last three years, and she was 12 when we first went, I think she was 15 at the last one."

The three turned and stared at Mitsuki, causing another teardrop to form on her brow.

"Maybe if her hair was blonde?"

"Or straighter."

"Or if she were taller."

"But Full Moon is 19!"

The huddle grew closer together, and Mitsuki began to blush fiercely at the continued debate.

"Well, she is going out with a 22 year old…"

"No, I think he's 24, Wakana."

"But, Mitsuki's not 19, guys!"

"But maybe she is, and she's been lying about it all along…"

"Mitsuki? Lie?" the three turned and looked at her for a moment before breaking out in laughter.

"She couldn't lie about forgetting the President's name…"

"She didn't lie to your mom about breaking the window," causing Wakana to glare at her.

"Hmm… no, Mitsuki wouldn't lie." 

Finally, their little circle broke, and the Three nodded to each other.  Kumi finally came forward and pointed her finger decisively at Mitsuki.

"We've decided!" she said, "You can't be Full Moon, sorry."

At this, Mitsuki fell down laughing, causing teardrops to form on the other three's heads.

"She was joking all along," said Wakana.

"She didn't mean it at all," said Tomoe.

"Let's get her," said Kumi, and nodding at each other again, the three pounced on Mitsuki, tickling her furiously.

Mitsuki laughed painfully as she endured the assault, which lasted a good five minutes, before all of them turned on each other and the four found themselves belly up, clutching their aching sides, their laughter slowly quieting down.

Finally Mitsuki sat up, and turned seriously to them, "But it's true… I really am Full Moon. I can't explain how, but it really is true."

"Wow, you're serious, aren't you, Mitsuki!"

"Yes, it's not a lie! I wish I could have told you a long time ago, I wish I could explain.  I'm sorry."

"But wasn't Full Moon…" "So Full Moon wasn't…" "What about Full Moon's being…"

"16?" they all asked together.

"Maybe Mitsuki did lie, at the audition!" said Tomoe, "I know! You dyed your hair and walked on stilts!"

"Maybe she met a fairy godmother who transformed her!" said Kumi.

"Maybe Full Moon was 16, but when she was Mitsuki, she was only 12!" said Wakana.

"Eh?" said the other two.

"Well, it's almost the same thing that you said, Kumi," Wakana countered, blushing.

"Wow, Mitsuki is Full Moon!" the three exclaimed, and reveled in the revelation for a while.

"But please, don't tell anyone," Mitsuki asked, her eyes brimming.

"Of course not!"

"No way!"

"Well, um, what about Saoho…" began Tomoe, but was stopped short by the death glare from the other two girls, "Ahh! Ok ok, I promise!"

Mitsuki only smiled, "And of course, I want to give you tickets to the concert, so don't buy them, ok?"

"Mitsuki!" the three exclaimed.

"I mean, Full Moon!?" said Kumi with a puzzled expression on her face, and the four looked at each other and laughed.

Preparations for the concert went more quickly than any other time in Mitsuki's life.  She barely even felt its passage, as she went to the hall to practice with the band, met with Madoka, Sakura, and the lead singer of Anjel, tried on hundreds of different outfits, met with designers, crew, sound, lighting, stage technicians, and of course, all while still going to school, though she was frequently absent.  The rumors that abounded from her excessive absences began to worry both her and Takuto, as people started whispering behind their backs and even avoiding the pair.  One day they walked into the cafeteria and sat down, to find that most people averted their gaze, and the nearby tables excused themselves barely halfway through the course of their meal.

Tomoe walked in and sat down with them, and noticing the sad expressions on her friends' faces asked, "What's wrong, you two?" and leaned over to whisper between them, "Is everything for the concert going ok?"

Mitsuki and Takuto looked at each other for a moment.  After a moment, Takuto looked down at and began playing with his food, before Mitsuki finally asked, "Tomoe, why is everyone avoiding us?"

Tomoe was startled by the question, but after a moment began laughing.

"Tomoe! It's true, wherever we go…"

Tomoe stopped laughing, and answered, smiling, "You two really don't know? Well, let me ask you something. How would you feel if one person that you knew was the hottest topic of the century, going out with a girl who was starting to look more and more like Full Moon herself, and yet no matter how hard you tried, you couldn't find out the truth? Besides, ever since the CD release, everyone learned how old Takuto is, it's sort of odd, that's all."

Takuto chuckled as he twirled his chopsticks in the bowl of rice before him, and Mitsuki rested her chin on her hands as she said, "I guess we do seem odd, huh?"

Kumi suddenly said, as she and Wakana walked up to the table and placed their trays down, "Seem odd? You two have everyone so frustrated they don't know what to do! I overheard someone crying yesterday, as she said to her friend, 'I bet that Mitsuki is Full Moon, but if that's true, why is she still 16? Maybe she's older, too? Maybe she's a witch!' and to tell you the truth, I wonder how you're Full Moon, too!"

"Not so loud, Kumi!" cried Tomoe, causing heads to turn towards their table.

Kumi was only smiling, though, and continued, "Well, you two should stop looking so glum, if you're not going to tell anyone what's going on, this is how people are going to react!"

"I guess it's true, Takuto… maybe we should just tell everyone, then, maybe my plan isn't working right…"

                                              -------------------------------------

"I think I have an idea!" Mitsuki exclaimed in their dressing room that day.

"Ok," responded Takuto lightly, leaning back into the chair, his arms behind his head.

"Well, we just won't say anything at all!"

"Eh?"

"Why do we have to tell anyone, huh? I mean, if we just stay quiet, people will come up with whatever they want, right?"

"Isn't that a problem, Mitsuki? They'll be making all sorts of really bad rumors about you."

"Takuto, I want to sing and share the music, isn't that what you want, too?"

Blushing now, Takuto answered defensively, and crossed his arms in front of his chest, "Well, yes, but, it'll be hard on us if we're being hounded by reporters and can't live normally."

"I think that if we just don't say anything… don't you think people will just give up after a while?"

"Hmm, sometimes, but if Full Moon is a really a big idol, never! When I was with Route L, we weren't so famous, and still had lots of problems…"

"Route L was very famous, Takuto!"

"Well…"

"And my parents lived normally, I don't remember always having reporters around when I was little!"

"True, but…"

"And that's exactly what they did! They just didn't talk about themselves, no matter how much they were asked."

Takuto sat quietly for a while, and finally ran his hand through his hair, scratching the top, "You're right, and everyone just left them alone.  Ah, I guess we can try it, maybe it will work, even."

"I just know it will! Takuto, as long as we focus on what we want, to share music, the rest will be ok."

"Mitsuki…" Takuto said compassionately as he stared into her passionate eyes.

                                              -------------------------------------

"No, I think this will pass," said Wakana, "you're the one that always tells us to be true to ourselves, Mitsuki."

"She's right," added Tomoe, "you always tell me not to give up, so you better not give up, either!"

Takuto grinned and said, "See what you got yourself into."

Mitsuki only folded her arms on the table and rested her head on them, "I just feel so weird around school now."

"It's only another month until the concert, anyway, we'll help you until then."

"And it's not like people hate you, Mitsuki, they just don't understand and are having trouble with that."

"Really?"

"I was talking to Megumi, and when she asked why you two were always out lately, she asked if you were sick again."

"I think everyone is just worried, really, Saoho keeps asking me if you two are ok, or if Full Moon is coming between you."

Mitsuki smiled as she closed her eyes, "Thank you…"

                                                            ----------------------------------------------------------------------

The time for the concert was finally at hand.


	10. Revival

[Lyrics translation copied from www.animelyrics.com then edited, _Love Chronicle_ originally created by Changin' My Life, and sung by Full Moon in the anime Full Moon wo Sagashite… same copyrights from chapter 1 apply, I hope]

**Chapter X – Revival, the concert**

Mitsuki looked up, and suddenly dropped her microphone in the middle of the song, her mouth gaping wide.  

"Eichi-kun", she said, barely whispering his name, as a powerful wave of mixed joy and sorrow pulsed from her heart.  The feeling spread from the tears in her eyes through to her entire being, and caused her to tremble as she suddenly seemed to struggle to support her own weight.

"Full Moon, are you ok…" began Takuto, covering the microphone with his hands, but trailed off mid-sentence as he too looked up into the sky above the stage.  

A figure hovered in the stands far away, red vest trimmed just above the waistline, red shorts covering white lace stockings, and gigantic wings spread far to the left and right of her body.

"Meroko…" he said, his arm falling limply to his side, still clutching the microphone, "That's… that's Meroko, isn't it," he faltered, forgetting himself, "Mitsuki."

But Mitsuki was far too gone to respond, gazing up at the eyes of her first love, his smile dazzling her with their brilliance, his wings reminding her of his being, memories rapidly coursing through her mind.

"Eichi-kun," she said softly, raising the fingers of her right hand to her trembling lips.

"Mitsuki, we came to listen to you sing," Eichi said, the smile brimming on his face, "Please sing for us, Full Moon."

Mitsuki nodded numbly, and slowly noticed apparitions appear, as the second crowd of onlookers to her performance became apparent to her.  Mitsuki gasped, for angels filled the stadium's entire outer rim, talking to each other, many hand in hand, some cuddling outright, and nearly every one with fixed attention to the stage.

The hushed voices of the people in the crowd slowly became a loud hum as people wondered to each other what was going on.  Most remembered L-I-V-E and the sudden halt in that show, and were asking each other if something similar was occurring here.

Mitsuki weakly gathered herself together and turned back to Takuto and the band, "Are you all ready to continue?"

But seeing him fully, Mitsuki saw that Takuto was far from ready, as tears were in his eyes and he had a dazed look as if he too were in another world.

"Takuto?" she asked, concern coloring her voice.

Fortunately the other band members had gotten used to the strange goings on with these two, and after playing the last notes of _Sky's Wish_, were using the break to talk amongst themselves, have a drink of water, wave to their own friends and family, and relax.  All of them were quite obviously giving Takuto and Mitsuki space, for they were averting their eyes, and in fact none were even glancing in the two singers' direction.

"Takuto?" Mitsuki said again, slightly louder.

His reverie intruded upon, Takuto gazed at Mitsuki, the same far-away look still pasted on his face, "It's all true, Mitsuki, everything you told me.  I've found it so hard to believe, though I've forced myself, but finally, here, there is proof," and he looked up at Meroko again, who was smiling down at him.

"Meroko?" said Mitsuki, and searched the angelic crowd, struggling to find her friend amidst the masses of heavenly beings. 

Meroko waved her arm high in the air, and Mitsuki's joy filled the stadium as she waved back, and shouted, "Meroko! Merokooo!!!!"

Meroko laughed, a contagion which spread to the angels around her, to Eichi, and finally, to Takuto and Mitsuki.

The crowd was looking up at the sky where the two singer's gaze was focused, bewildered.

"Mitsuki, Full Moon, I…" Takuto began to say, _I'm sorry for ever doubting, and I love you so much_, but the expression on her face stopped him, "Eichi is here, too?" he asked seriously.

Mitsuki looked up, puzzled, at where Eichi was, so near to the stage, and said, "You don't see him, Takuto?"

"He can only see Meroko, Mitsuki.  You're the only one that can see all of us right now," explained Eichi to her, resting his head on his arms as Meroko landed gently next to him, "Don't you think it's time you started singing again?"

Mitsuki suddenly remembered that she was the center of attention of a hundred thousand and more, and glanced out towards the audience, the bright lights stinging her eyes as her vision passed through them.

Exuberant, she turned to Takuto, "Takuto, can we continue, please?"

Takuto seemed more than slightly recovered, and responded with an energy in his voice that Mitsuki had not felt since she had known him as a kitty Shinigami, "Full Moon, let's sing!"

Full Moon turned her head to the audience and spoke, "Everyone, we're ready to start again now, are you ready?"

The crowd cheered wildly in response, their voices startling the angels, who flapped their wings excitedly.

"She asked if you were ready, and we can barely hear you up here," goaded Takuto.

The intensity of the sound that emanated literally shook the stadium, though only those on stage and behind the scenes noticed.

Full Moon and Takuto looked at each other, smiling, and turned simultaneously to the band, who seemed as electrified as they, and nodded.

A magnificent bass beat soon continued the concert, and the lights dimmed to a single spotlight on Full Moon.

Love Chronicle

_"I've completely forgotten how to love. Meetings will come someday, with the beginning of parting. Somehow, I have decided upon that idea…" _began Full Moon.

As the spotlight joined Takuto into the song, muffled cheering could be heard from the audience, _"you tied the loose shoe laces of my dirty sneakers,"  
_Full Moon continued alone, _"your shy smile suddenly shone in the sunlight"_

The two turned to each other, singing  
_"it's not that I love for want of love, you gave me the courage to love straight-forward"_

Full Moon continued staring into Takuto's eyes as she sang,  
_"the two swear to the journey from now,"_  
Takuto and Full Moon clasped their hands together and sang_, "that no matter what occurs, the two hands will"_  
Full Moon concluded the verse alone, with _"never part._"

Full Moon turned to the audience of humans and angels as she began the next stanza, smiling, _"it's weird, the everyday landscape begins to seem special,"_  
Takuto closed his eyes as he joined her, _"the flowers, birds, the sea and the wind, the mountains, and the sweet sun,"_

and allowed her to finish the verse alone,_ "when everything shines and gathers together"_

As Takuto joined in the song again, the both of them turned their eyes to where Eichi and Meroko now hovered together on the rafters above the stage.  
_"I found the last piece to the unsolvable jigsaw puzzle,"_  
Full Moon reached out to Eichi as she sang, _"your broad back protects me and I'll continue to follow you for eternity"_  
_"until now, I've took the longer way around,"_ she continued, turning back to the audience, then to Takuto.  
Singing together again, they gazed into each other's eyes, _"but I'm finally able to love straight-forward"_  
_"the two will head to the dream of tomorrow, no matter what occurs, the gaze won't be shifted"_  
Takuto hummed, ha … la la la la la la la… for a brief musical solo

_"it's not that I love for want of love,"_ they continued, _"you gave me the courage to love straight-forward"_  
The two turned towards the audience, simultaneously reaching their right arms out in a plea, _"the two will head to the dream of tomorrow no matter what occurs,"_  
As Full Moon finished the verse, she bent her elbow and clenched her fist in a sign of determination, "_the gaze won't be shifted"_  
_"it's not that I love for want of love, you gave me the courage to love straight-forward"_, they held the final notes together for a short span, now back to back, feeling each others' warmth

_"the two swear to the journey from now," [-ow -ow -ow _sang Takuto_] "that no matter what occurs, the two hands",  
_Finally, the song concluded, Full Moon pitching her voice up then down on its final word, _"will never part",_ holding the note a full ten seconds. The two singers stood with their hands clasped facing each other, affirming their emotions as they closed their eyes and drew their bodies together.

The lights dimmed until only Full Moon and Takuto were left glowing in a single spot on stage.  The vibration in the air remained as the music slowly faded, and the crowd was silent for several minutes as the power of the pair's emotion swept through the auditorium.

The main lights slowly came back up, and Full Moon said, "We're going for an intermission, but will be back in twenty minutes! Thank you!"

At this, the crowd could scarcely contain themselves, and released a monsoon of applause that lasted through the entire time Mitsuki and Takuto were offstage.

Back in their dressing room, Mitsuki and Takuto sat holding one another for a time, Mitsuki crying not at all gently, Takuto soothing her with soft words through his own numbed state, "Mitsuki, they brought all of their friends with them? How many…" he paused, no matter how many times the issue was brought up between them, he still felt that the whole thing must be unreal, even having finally glimpsed her.

"How many angels were there?"

Mitsuki's sobbing had stopped, at least, but she did not respond.

Takuto looked at her face buried in his chest, as a growing uncertainty clouded his mind.  The crowd could still be heard from the stadium, and Takuto began to worry about their continued performance.

"Mitsuki…" he whispered to her.

"Takuto, why is he here now?" she finally said to him.

Takuto fumbled for a response before he decided there was none that he could give her, and let her continue at her own pace.

A minute passed before she continued, tears again coursing down her face, "He told me he just came to hear me sing, Takuto.  It's not fair. Why wait so long? Why now?!"

Her breath stopped short, and though her widened eyes were gazing at his, they were focused on the wall behind him.

Takuto turned around to find Meroko standing there.  He could only guess that Eichi was there as well, though he was proven wrong by Meroko's words, "Mitsuki, he'd like to enter, too… if it is ok with you."

Mitsuki nodded, pulling away from Takuto on the couch.  She felt like a little girl again, able only to nod her head, unable to speak at all.

Finally, Eichi stepped through the wall, making Takuto nearly jump back at the sudden apparition.  Eichi smiled warmly as Meroko clasped his hand and helped him through the wall, and reached his other out to Mitsuki.  Takuto sat numbly on the side, watching the two as they stared into each other's eyes, now hand in hand.

He was somewhat startled when Meroko sidled next to him, touching him gently on the shoulder.  Though Takuto in most other situations would have been discomfited and even angry at being so handled by a stranger, her touch felt to him as a caress, and he found that he could only relax under the gentle pressure of her hands.

She whispered softly in his ear, "You are so lucky, Takuto.  I miss you…"

Turning his eyes to meet hers, his composure fell, and tears began streaming down his face, slowly at first, then becoming a downpour as he buried himself in her jacket.

"What is going on in there," the director asked Ooshige, "they give the best performance of their lives… of anyone's lives! and go backstage to bawl?  They're supposed to be on in five minutes!"

"Director-sensei, they will come out when they are ready," Ooshige said smoothly, "I don't think the fans will mind."

The roar from the audience was still going strong, fifteen minutes of fierce cheering and applause.  It was, quite simply, unheard of.

"Well, should I prep Madoka, or… something?" he asked.

"I don't think she would want to interrupt the show, sensei, just relax, everything will be ok," and this, from Ooshige.

The director walked off calmly, his haste seemingly only verbal judging by his stride as he walked away.  Indeed, the entire crew was acting far more relaxed than seemed possible under the tense circumstance, though everyone was alert and ready to return to their job.  Ooshige noticed that the stagehands were simply kneeling quietly by the stage, the lighting technicians were sitting calmly in the rafters and at their boards gazing longingly at the stage, and as she glanced around, it seemed to be the same for every member of the crew, as if they had become possessed by the music and presence.  Many were even humming or singing softly to themselves.

Ooshige smiled for a moment before she resumed her guard-post down the hall from the singers' dressing rooms.  She had been dismayed by the wailing she had heard earlier, but this complete silence worried her even more.  She turned to Wakaoji, who was by the stage, talking calmly to the director.

Wakaoji smiled at her, and waved, and after an initial blush, she waved back at him, though concern was evident on her face.  So much so that Wakaoji made his way towards her.

"How are they?" he asked.

"I don't know," she responded, staring into his gaze for a while. "They were… loud, earlier, but I haven't heard anything in a few minutes now."

"Should we go check on them? The show is supposed to start in just one minute."

"I don't know, Wakaoji, but, I think they need to be alone."

Wakaoji replied by sitting at the wall by her feet.  The intensity between the two became electric as Wakaoji gently placed his hand around Ooshige's leg, and she softly placed hers on his shoulder.

They could both hear the director's voice over the radio, "Thirty seconds to show, everyone, let's get ready."

With ten seconds to go, the entire backstage was so quiet that the crickets outside could be heard despite the audience's continuing roar.  Wakaoji and Ooshige both turned their heads to each other, and then towards the door behind which rested the stars of the show.

Then, suddenly, the silence was broken as the door opened, and a strangely subdued Full Moon emerged, joined hand in hand by an extremely serious looking Takuto.  The two turned towards each other and walked out onto the stage, surprising everyone as they passed unlike ever before, with barely a glance to their entire crew.

Ooshige and Wakaoji jumped up as soon as they saw the duo emerge.

"Mits… Full Moon! Takuto!" they both shouted in unison, but the pair seemed to not hear them.

"Is everything ok?" asked Ooshige, as the pair sauntered onto the stage, not bothering to check if the crew was ready for them.

Fortunately, everything went into motion immediately, and the moment Takuto stepped on stage, the proper lighting came up, and the next song's introductory music could be heard booming through the speakers.

Takuto was leading Mitsuki, or so it seemed to Ooshige and Wakaoji, who could only turn worriedly to each other as Mitsuki climbed on the stage and looked to the stars shining outside of the stadium.  She seemed to be searching for something, and for the entire first minute of the music, their voices were silent.  Finally her eyes widened, the only indication that she had found what she was looking for, although it seemed that her gaze did not shift from the one direction throughout the entire song.

They had chosen to reemerge with their combined version of Eternal Snow, and to Ooshige and Wakaoji, it was the most powerful telling of the tale that they had ever heard. 

"What do you think she sees out there, Wakaoji," asked Ooshige.

"It must be Old Man Winter," came the reply, for snow had begun falling from the lightly clouded sky, softly coating the audience and stage with its fluffy whiteness.

Mitsuki seemed to reach out her arms at every chorus, and the ending once again found the singer breathless and in tears, the powerful release of emotion seemingly having drained her fiercely.

As soon as the lights were down, she buried her face in Takuto's chest, and for the five minute length of the blackout as the crew prepared the next stage, the two stood silently together, their eyes closed.  Strangely, the audience remained silent, the snow muffling their ability to applaud, though all faces were turned to the stage with rapt attention, most wet from tears which mingled with the snow.

"It seems almost as if they are honoring her song," said Wakaoji thoughtfully in an undertone, barely suppressing a soft, sniffling sob.

"I don't think I could clap right now if I tried, I feel as though we'd be intruding," whispered Ooshige through her own light tears, backing up Wakaoji's words.

The lights returned to find Takuto and Full Moon yet embraced.  The music started up immediately, though, the upbeat rhythm _The Sun's Rays_ slowly melting the calm, and to everyone's amazement, the physical snow as well, which began to evaporate as soon as Full Moon sang the first verse.

"I guess Meroko came to the performance after all," giggled Ooshige.

Wakaoji nodded, looking out at the stage.  He found it difficult to maintain his serious composure though, and soon, evidently along with most everyone else in the stadium, found himself moving his body to the music.

"Let's dance!" exclaimed Ooshige, as she found herself unable to merely stand on the side.  Wakaoji eagerly agreed, and the two spun round and round to the amusement of the nearby crew.  

Full Moon and Takuto seemed to be enjoying themselves on stage as well, and despite the strenuous act of singing, Takuto was twirling Mitsuki around as the two danced to their own rhythm.  

The concert continued for several hours, Full Moon using up several of the songs which had become popularized in the past few months, improvising most to the delight of the musicians, even joined spontaneously by Madoka to duet her _Lament_ at one point.  Finally, the final song's stage was set to be prepared, although the crew found their instructions quite odd.  As soon as _Voices of the Angels _ended, the director's voice came over the radio, "Ok, crew, just take a break, someone else is handling this last set.  You've done an incredible job, now just relax and enjoy the music!" As most of the crew only looked puzzedly at each other at first, his voice continued, "Yes, these are your real orders.  Now sit.  Go sit!"

The director came up to Wakaoji some time after, "Wakaoji! My radio went dead, and just before the final song!"

Slowly, the clouds in the sky parted.  The beautiful, opaquely dark, sky had served as the ceiling of the auditorium throughout the concert.  To the delight of the audience, the moon shone full and bright directly onto the stage now, creating a natural spotlight which shone and glimmered amidst the twinkling of stars which seemed to congregate in its radiance.  One particular star could be seen to shine more intensely than all of the others, and though none would know, it was a binary, formed from the joining of a pair of stars caught in each others' gravity.  Indeed, Full Moon shone towards this particular star in the course of her final song, Takuto, in spite of his dazzling performance, merely a backup singer in this last piece.

As the darkness lifted, clouds parted, and the moon shone its spotlight down, Full Moon merely looked up as if she had expected all such events.  The musicians, at first almost frightened at the supernatural feel of things, somehow relaxed and found their enjoyment in the song, as the drummer first, then the guitarist, and finally the synthesizer player joined their instruments into a harmonious appeal to the audience itself, to more.  Full Moon slowly lifted her head, 

A Star Up in Heaven

_There's a star up in heaven,  
I can see from below.  
It shines so bright whenever I gaze,  
It calls to me, so_

The stars twinkled, and sparkled around Full Moon herself

_Softly I whisper the words that I feel  
Every day, for all of time, it seems so real  
The star is calling, singing to me_

And indeed, it seemed as though her voice echoed, shimmered. The audience felt a great peace in their beings as Full Moon's voice reverberated from the very air itself

_For today…was the day  
I saw my star.  
_Full Moon held the final note of this verse for quite some time, slowly increasing her pitch as the moonlight itself intensified, bathing the stage with its radiance

_Shining down, it lit up my sky_

_I sang to it a song,  
and it responded so softly,  
Twinkling, my star.  
Shine for me!_

_As long as you're up there  
I know that I can go on,  
Shine…_

And with this last word, Full Moon and Takuto vanished from the stage, the final note of the final song of the concert hanging in the air for a time as the lights from the heavens slowly dimmed.


	11. The Scattered Past

...** Chapter 11 - The Scattered Past**

Izumi frowned as he looked down at his hands. The sensation of the soul lingered on his touch unpleasantly, and doubt gnawed further into his heart as he brought the sleeping form to his boss. Another Shinigami in the making, it certainly seemed to Izumi that his kind was becoming more common lately.

Jonathan sauntered nearby, and Izumi cast an angry glance to his completely desensitized partner. The whole Full Moon affair had not affected the ghostly Shinigami in the slightest. Jonathan could still remove a soul with no hint of remorse, though the pasty complexion never spoke of fascination or else, either. Jonathan had no sleepless nights, not that the Shinigami really needed to rest, but Jonathan was still… Jonathan.

Izumi looked down at his cold hands once again, mesmerized with their incredible ability to take people's lives, yet incapable of touching a soul.

"Jonathan," Izumi said dryly to his partner, "What's next on our schedule?" Izumi looked down, avoiding eye contact with the creature, though Jonathan was not exactly noteworthy for his expressions, anyway.

Jonathan squeaked ever so lightly, expelling the same odd sound which always emanated from his figure, before responding in his whiny high-pitched voice, "Izumi-kun… we don't have to do anything at all… what are you going to do, Izumi-kun?" 

Jonathan always said Izumi-kun, had always referred to him as Izumi-kun, and just lately Izumi had begun to notice how aggravating this fact was. He was definitely losing control of himself, his calm confidence slowly eroding. He clenched his teeth and turned to Jonathan, his cool expression deadly with passion, doused just as swiftly into a frown as he faced the giggling ghost.

After a minute, he floated off down the streets and towards the underrealm.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Meroko floated above the streets, lost in her thoughts as she searched the ground for Mitsuki's house.

"I guess we can search for whoever sent you to save Mitsuki," Eichi had said.

Meroko blushed and looked down, "It wasn't me, Eichi-kun. Takuto was the one who was sent to save her… I only tagged along…"

"Meroko," Eichi said, lifting her face gently by the chin, "you decided to help on your own, no?"

Meroko nodded shyly as her eyes met his, "But it was almost my fault that she…" Meroko stopped mid-sentence.

"She didn't, though, did she, Meroko. And in the end, it was your choice that saved her."

Contemplating this for a minute, Meroko finally smiled as she accepted her role in those events. The two sat quietly for a time, before she spoke again.

"Well, then, who could have sent us?"

"That's what we'll be trying to find out. But, how…"

"Perhaps someone in the realms knows."

Eichi stopped and thought for a minute before responding, "Hmm… it would take some time, but I guess we can ask everyone if they've heard of her name. That might help us find a clue."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Izumi floated along angrily for a while, Jonathan trailing him as always. Izumi began to seethe, and searched the area for any signs of life which he might take. Against protocols, certainly, but animals were scarcely noticed for their weak souls. And perhaps there were a few humans whose time had come and just not been picked up yet…

Suddenly, he heard a song over the radio. The familiar voice tugged uncomfortably through his mind as the words echoed in his mind.

..._ It's her. I hear her everywhere now!_ his thoughts screamed in his mind, and he held the back of his head with his hands and shouted to the heavens in emotional pain. Jonathan watched curiously from behind, his quivering tail suddenly stopping its normally restless motion.

"Izumi-kun," the ghostly figure said, "What's wrong, Izumi-kun," the voice said.

Izumi turned, shaking, towards the ghost, and launched a punch. Oddly, the ghost merely sidehovered, as his grin widened. Izumi stared at his balled fist, he'd never before felt so much anger towards Jonathan. Towards anyone, really.

Trembling now, he shrugged as he put his arm back at his sides, his jaw clenching and unclenching. Suddenly, for the first time in years, he decided to transform himself into his puppy dog form, and doing so he galloped down the street which had been below at an incredible pace.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Finally spotting Mitsuki's house, Meroko scanned the area for any sign of the girl.  Seeing none, she slid down through the roof and into Mitsuki's bedroom.  Meroko glanced about the room for a minute before deciding to begin her search with Mitsuki's personal drawer. Her eyes were drawn to the music box which Mitsuki's father had left. Picking it up, she rotated it around, feeling a strong pull from inside. _I can't take this, Mitsuki would notice it missing instantly! _Meroko thought to herself after a minute, and gently returned the crystal encasing to its spot on the desk.

She quietly opened the drawer below, revealing those possessions dearest to Mitsuki.  It was very neatly organized, and Meroko carefully shuffled through the tidy piles inside. A glittering binder topped one, a blank memo pad rested on top of another, and towards the back Meroko noticed a letter from Eichi astride the final pile.

Meroko gently slid the letter out out of the drawer, holding it gingerly between her fingers. Its touch was potent, and powerful waves of emotion coursed through Meroko's fingers as she held it between her fingers. She sighed with relief, certain now that their decision to send her instead of Eichi had certainly averted disaster. Not that she knew the upper realms as well, anyway.

Sifting through the contents, Meroko sighed. _I can't take any of this_, she thought to herself, _Mitsuki__ would noticeinstantly  if any of these things were missing. I guess it's up to Eichi, then._

Hovering towards the roof, Meroko's heart tugged uncomfortably at her, the feeling spreading to her thoughts as she considered the items she was leaving behind. Something was there, something she had already glanced and just not noticed carefully enough. So, Meroko slid down for a second look at the drawer. And immediately, her heart and mind connected.

Meroko again picked up the music box, and looking at the inscription underneath found her answer. _Koga! Mitsuki changed her name to Kouyama! Her parents' name was Koga, not Kouyama!_

Exhilirated, Meroko leaped into the air, oblivious to the presence of the maid, Tanaka, who was shivering at the doorway watching the box as it floated down and gently back onto Mitsuki's little drawer.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Izumi's trot was aimless, though. He wandered for miles, and soon found himself as lost as he could possibly be as he wandered down yet another bland street, cars slowly passing alongside dull pedestrians. Suddenly as he rounded the corner, though, he recognized the gates of the house which now lay in front of him. His doggy eyes bulged and he instantly poofed back into spirit form from the shock.

..._ It's the girl's house!_ his mind screamed inside.

He floated through the gates hurriedly, tugged by some unkown fate towards Mitsuki's room. Tanaka, the maid, was standing outside, trembling, and he watched as she soon scurried off towards the kitchen, the frightened expression a surprising contrast to her otherwise flaccid face.

Wondering what could have startled her so, Izumi hovered into Mitsuki's room…

"Izumi!" said Meroko, as she turned to face the dog boy, his hand clenched tightly around her wrist, startled. Angels were absolutely not supposed to see the Shinigami!

"Kero-chan," said Izumi in his sarcastic friendly tone, before his eyes widened and he lost his composure, "Meroko." He seemed on the verge of tears, suddenly. "Why can I see you, Meroko? What is that thing on your head? Your wings… it can't be!" he practically gasped.

"I was transformed, Izumi. It's real," she replied softly, sadly.

"So you've become an… an…" the Shinigami could not say the word, they never could.

"Angel, Izumi," Meroko smiled, and Izumi instantly vanished.


End file.
